A reader shared this story with me today that warms the heart and brightens hope.

I was told that the state of Maine had a large number of snowmobile fatalities last weekend, around seven. Most often, accidents result from people riding intoxicated, without their helmets or in violation of other responsible riding rules, I understand.

In one instance, though, a group of snowmobiles were trailing each other across a frozen lake, and they all made it easily to the other side, except for the last sled which was driven by a young girl. The ice broke before she reached bank, and the machine went underwater pulling her down with it. The other sled drivers ahead of her did not immediately notice.

Before she went underwater, she screamed, and it so happened that a man feeding horses nearby heard her yell. Ordinarily, he would not have been outside, but in this one case, had moments earlier decided to go outside and feed his finance’s animals. He ran to the bank, and trained in ice rescue, knew what to do to save the drowning child.

The girl, meanwhile, who was underwater, had been told internally to take off her helmet. She obeyed, and quickly discovered an air pocket in her helmet to breathe in. The rescuer, after getting another man to help, and tying a rope to his waist, made it out to the crash scene, which was quite a way out in the lake, pulled the girl from underwater, and brought her to shore alive.

When I hear stories like this, they remind me of the wisdom of staying calm in moments of crisis. God is always speaking to us, giving us the direction we need to remain safe and secure. But we mustn’t let the noise of fear and doubt shout out that voice and prevent us from hearing the divine direction that serves to save us.

Calmness enables us to hear God’s guidance and know what to do.