What is this seminar about? We are trying to have you take part in a journey with God. Many of us are cautious about this. We don't trust God. Let me share an illustration that might help you understand how God leads us.

When I teach my children to swim, I like to start in a pool. There they can learn the basics about going under water, playing in water, holding their breath and basic swimming abilities.

But this is not enough. I know it is not enough. Two close relatives of mine almost drowned at the same beach. Now, many years later, they are still afraid of putting their heads under the water while swimming. I need to teach my children to learn to handle ocean waves and the currents associated with them.

When I visit my Dad, I teach them to understand and appreciate waves. I do not take them out when it is very windy. The waves will throw them down. I take them out on the calmest days possible and have them feel the currents. They begin to understand the push and pull of the waves. They can cope with this. Only later do I take them out with me deeper into the thrust of the big waves. These huge waves will lift a person up high over the beach.

The secret about this training is for me to personally be with them. They first of all see that I can handle the waves and that it is desirable to be out there. Then they gain enough confidence to be there if I am with them real close. At times they will cling to me as they see a big wave coming. But I am there. Later they will stand beside me. Then even later, they will not care if I am there or not for safety. They just like me out there having fun with them.

After all, each of us more than likely will be facing more tragic, fearful, startling and stressful situations than you have already experienced in this life. Each of us, except for those at Christ's return, will die. We will have our loved ones die around us. We might lose all our wealth or the prized job we have been working for all our lives. We might be crippled. Our family members or others close to us might reject us.

I personally can not swim with you through your toughest waves of experience. They will be coming, though. My goal is to show you how the Lord will be with you through that time. Many people at the most crucial times reject the Lord because they doubt His love. They are not able to rightly understand God and therefore end up going through these tragic times by themselves and floundering. God has meant that these times would become the most intimate times with Him, finding Him closer and more powerful than ever.