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The year was 1820 and Peter Richley was a grateful man. He had survived one of the strangest and most harrowing events known to mankind. The ship which he had been travelling on sank. He was subsequently rescued, but by some strange twist of circumstance, this second ship also sank.
He was rescued again. But, this third ship sank likewise. He was rescued for a third time. Yet, his fourth ship of passage soon sank. And unbelievably, he was rescued for a fourth time, but this fifth ship sank as well.
It would have been laughable had it not been so serious. On the high seas, however, he floated with the serene confidence that somehow God did not want him to die. And sure enough, as if on cue, another ship came by and answered his call for help.
This sixth vessel, The City of Leeds, was named after its British city of origin. It was bound from England to Australia and travelled the same sea lane as Peter Richley’s downed ships. The crew of The City of Leeds hoisted Peter aboard. Dry clothing was provided to Peter. The ship’s doctor gave him a cursory exam, pronounced him fit, and then asked an unusual favour.
“There’s a lady on board who booked passage to Australia,” the doctor explained. “She’s looking for her son who disappeared years ago. She’s dying and she’s asking to see her son. She knows everybody on board and since you’re the only newcomer, would you pretend to be her son?”
Peter agreed. After all, his life had now been saved for the fifth time. He followed the doctor below deck and entered into a cabin. There on a small bed lay a frail woman with silvered-hair. She was obviously suffering from a very high fever. Deliriously, she was crying out. “Please God. Let me see my son before I die. I must see my son!”
The ship’s doctor gently pushed the young man toward the bed. Soon, however, Peter Richley began sobbing. For lying there on that bed was the reason that he couldn’t seem to die. Here was the lifeline that had kept him from drowning five times. For lying on that bed was none other than Sarah Richley—who had prayed for ten years to reconciled to her son, Peter.
The ship’s doctor stood in amazement as the young man fell down by the bed and embraced the sick woman. “I’m here mother! I’m here. It’s me!” Within days the fever had subsided and his mother awakened to find an answered prayer seated on the edge of her bed. 

It's an amazing story, isn't it? Amazing...but true.
As I read this story for the first time, I found I could relate to it. Not because I have been shipwrecked 5 times (although I was knocked out of a small sailing boat by the boom swinging around and hitting me in the head!)...but because so often it seems like we suffer shipwrecks in our lives...metaphorical shipwrecks, but real nonetheless.
So often our hopes, dreams, health, relationships, finances, careers....can end up being washed onto the rocks, or are swamped by the waves, or blown off course by a violent wind. 
And it seems like our lives are thrown into the maelstrom of the storm and we cling for dear life to whatever we can grab hold of. Maybe you have experienced such a shipwreck in your life.
Or maybe you are in the middle of one right now.

There is another true story about another shipwreck that you might find interesting. The story is found in Acts 27-28 and it tells of the Apostle Paul, then a prisoner, being sent under guard to Italy. It was not the best season for sailing such a dangerous route and they endured terrible conditions along the way and, ultimately disaster struck and they were shipwrecked. However, unlike Peter Richley's story, everyone survived, just as Paul prophetically declared after receiving a dream/revelation from God (Acts 27: 21-26). 
As we read on we see that, out of the shipwreck, God had a plan and a purpose and many people were saved (physically and spiritually) as a result.

Likewise, dear friend, God has a plan and purpose for you...and He wants to deliver you from the shipwrecks of life, too. 
I may not know all that you are going through...but I do pray that you will know the power of God to deliver you from the fiercest storm and from the worst shipwreck....just as He did with Paul and with Peter Richley.
It might sound impossible.
But it's true.