A Key Encounter With God
By Sondra Chilson

As the eight of us embarked on our family adventure down the Hiwassee River in Tennessee, we never imagined that God had a miracle waiting for us downstream.
Early on Sunday morning, we made last-minute decisions on what items to take in the rafts and what to leave behind.  Extra clothes, wallets and purses were locked in the cars, while sunscreen, snacks, and car keys were tucked here and there to insure they wouldn't end up at the bottom of the river.  Josh, my grandson's friend, needed a safe place to keep his only car key.  My grandson Duran volunteered to carry it in his waterproof container.
Everything and everyone all accounted for, we paused in the parking lot for a word of prayer for a safe trip, then released our rafts and began a leisurely float down the river.  It was especially beautiful that morning. While most of us were admiring the river's majesty, Duran began setting up for the long journey ahead.  Opening his airtight container proved a little challenging, but with a bit of extra force, the lid snapped off obediently.
Kerplunk!
"What was that?" Duran wondered.  Glancing down his worst fears were realized as he watched Josh's one and only car key plummet right through the hole in the floor.  Panic-stricken he yelled, "Josh!  Your key just fell into the river!"
Instantly Josh leaped into the river, trying to hold back the raft while hunting for the key.  Alerted by the shout, we began rowing against the swift current to get back to the boys.  Reaching a bank just below them, we hung on to an overhanging branch and watched them hunt for a single key which the strong current could have washed anywhere!
After fifteen minutes of diving and searching, the boys gave up in discouragement and floated down to us.  I told them we had been praying and suggested they go back and hunt once more.  "We've been praying, too," they said, "but with this current it's pretty hopeless."
"Let's pray again," I urged, and we bowed our heads.  "Dear Lord, You know where that key is, and You also know that we'll have a miserable three and a half hour trip if we can't find it.  It's Josh's only car key so it's really important that he get it back.  Please guide the boys in their search and lead them right to the key.  Thank You, Lord, for hearing and answering our prayer. Amen."
With renewed courage, the boys rowed upstream to the spot where they thought the key had fallen.  A group of kayakers stopped to ask what was going on so Josh explained.  They all laughed.  "In this river?  You've got to be kidding! It's gone, guys."
Suddenly Josh dove from the raft, groping for a silvery glint he'd spotted.  Seconds later he shot back up, waving the key triumphantly.  The kayakers' eyes widened in disbelief and their mouths shut.  "It was caught in the crevice of a rock," Josh yelled.  "Thank God!"
Our float trip miracle reminded us again of the awesome God we serve, a God who is eager to help us not only with the big problems in our lives, but with the smallest details of anything that distresses us.  We had expected our outing to be a blessing, but we had no idea we were in for a key encounter with God!

Sondra Chilson writes from Ooltewah, Tennessee.