It was 1948 and Dave was fresh out of the marines after a four-year term when he and his best friend Roy agreed to go hiking and camping. Dave wanted to spend a few days with his parents first and the day before they were supposed to head out, he got a call from Roy.

"Sorry, Dave, but I think we should wait a while. It's too far into the rainy season and too dangerous this time of year."

"Come on, Roy, we've been up there so many times we know it like the back of our hands."

"We're not teenagers anymore, Dave. I know you're anxious to catch up on missed time but the mountain isn't going anywhere."

No matter how much Dave pleaded, Roy wouldn't budge.

During his four years in the marines, Dave developed a close relationship with Jesus Christ who became his Savior and Lord through the first few months of training. Nevertheless, like most people, when circumstances change and life gets easier, many of us tend to fall away and so it was with Dave.

It really peeved him that Roy wouldn't go hiking and after stewing for a few days, he decided to go alone.

Everything he needed was strapped to his back when he entered the woods and started up the mountain. He made a lot of progress the first day, setting up camp by sundown. Halfway through the second day, he was glad he hadn't let Roy talk him out of going as he was thoroughly enjoying it, but wished he was there to share it with him.

Three days in, he was setting up camp when the wind started to pick up. Realizing he was a good distance up the mountain, closer to the clouds and more vulnerable to lightning, he camped under a ridge, thinking he would be somewhat protected.

However, during the night, he awoke to a raging storm. A wind gust encircled the tent and he scrambled out as it was yanked up and ripped apart. Moments later, rushing streams of water came around the top of the ridge washing him and his supplies down the mountain.

The water had carried him about twenty-five feet when he caught hold of a small tree and he knew it was only a matter of time before the flood would grow with enough force to sweep him off a cliff. With a pleading cry he called out to the Lord for help as he groped at anything he could hold onto. Finally, he grabbed a bush, but it came straight up out of the ground.

The water pushed him rolling and shouting over a slope where he thought he was plunging to his death. But he fell; face down on muddy ground, which knocked the wind out of him.

As he lay in the mud, his prayers for help continued

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