Women & Children First {A Guest Post By Elizabeth}

{Here is the last of our lovely guest posts! A special thank to Miss Elizabeth of Joyful Jewels 4 Jesus Blog for allowing us to re-post this wonderful essay on the Titanic which she entered in the Vision Forum 2012 Essay Contest. Feel free to view the original post by click HERE! We pray that you have been blessed by these guest posts here on Reflections of Grace and that they have been of inspiration to you. Please let us know if you'd be interested in seeing more guest posts in the future!}

 

Her eyes surveyed the icy waters as her hand tightly grasped the rail. Wasn’t it just last night when she was waltzing with her brother, James, on the deck of the remarkable Titanic? All seemed perfect then. And now! It was as if Katherine had awakened to discover a nightmare unfolding before her eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her brother’s strong voice calling her name.

         “I’m here, James!” Katherine called back loudly amidst the frantic passengers.

         “Coming, Katie!” James replied, using his special name for his sister.

         James appeared on the deck, life jackets in hand. Katherine winced at the sight of them, hoping the situation wasn’t quite that serious. As if reading her thoughts, James nodded strongly and helped her into a jacket.
         The two stood silently. The air was thick with unanswered questions and worry. Streams of music, provided by musicians gallantly hoping to aid the passengers, did not seem to help much at all. As Katherine’s thoughts flew to and fro, she thought back through the years. After their beloved parents had passed away, the two siblings had clung together more than ever, sharing a vision and encouraging each other. Their vision was to do the Lord’s will and building an orphanage became their focus as a wonderful way to encourage other orphans like them. Katherine took a deep sigh, thinking of how this dream could just dissolve, depending on how the evening unfolded. What if she would never see her James, surrounded by little orphans, telling a Bible story in his wonderfully dramatic way?

         A voice interrupted their silence.

         “Miss!” a young servant called a few paces away. “They’re loadin’ the life boats! You best get on one of ‘em soon!”

         “Thank you, sir,” James said, nodding at the young boy.

         As the young boy scampered away, James turned to Katherine and slid his arm around her. Katherine glanced into his eyes with sadness.

         “What do these waters remind you of, Katie?” he asked, seeking to comfort his sister.

         Katherine paused a moment before answering feeling that sobs that could easily escape any moment.

         “Death,” she replied dryly.

         “Well, my sister,” James continued. “Even if these waters are death for me, soon I will be with the Living Water-the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s plan is always perfect. His timing is perfect. And you know what, Katie? I just may beat you to being with our Lord in that perfect place!”

 

                 Katherine grinned slightly, knowing that her older brother’s passion for Christ was infectious to all around him and even if he passed from this earth, he would do so gladly to be with the Lord Jesus. She glanced at him sideways. She was so thankful for each moment she had been able to spend with this godly, protective older brother of hers. His joyfulness, burden to share the gospel with others, and wonderful way with children, were always something she treasured...something she would dearly miss. She would forever remember his love for Christ.

         “Katie, we’d best start making our way to the life boats,” James said gently as they started making their way. “As we walk, I want to share a few things with you. I have treasured each moment we have been able to spend together on this earth and if I perish, then I will rejoice in the day when we will be reunited in Heaven.  Be strong, sweet Katie, and press on. Seek the Lord always and trust in Him no matter what. If it is the Lord’s will for you to marry, get wise counsel and I pray that he will be a humble man after God’s heart.”

         As they arrived at the life boats, tears trickled down Katherine’s cheeks. She glanced at the life boat and found a sign of hope before her eyes.

 

         “James! There’s room in the life boats!” Katherine exclaimed, searching his face for a sign of agreement. “Remember our dreams, our vision! Think of all we could accomplish...all the pleasures we could enjoy together!”

         “Katherine,” he replied softly, gently. “I am not seeking pleasures--I’m seeking purpose. I’m seeking what our Heavenly Father wants me to do. And right now I will follow the Lord’s calling to help others in time of need...as a man of God.”

         “Then let me stay.” Katherine replied firmly. “I don’t care if I perish, too.”

         “Katie, God has called me as a young man to protect and cherish and have the ladies and children go first,” James replied. “Trust me, okay dearie? I have peace that you can further our vision and remember, there is still a glimmer of hope that I may be reunited with you on this earth...if not, in heaven.”

         Katherine’s cheeks flushed as she realized the foolishness of trying to persuade her brother to go against the Lord’s will.

 

         Those last few moments together were sweet and precious to Katherine as they bowed their heads in prayer for God’s will to be done. James handed Katherine her Bible, after folding a letter and placing it inside.

         “This is a letter, a prayer,” James instructed. “Wait to open it until a fitting time. Katie, remember...we are weak, but He is strong.”

         Katherine nodded. Her face was no longer aghast with fear, but peaceful. Tears were still in the corners of her eyes, but she was trusting in Jesus. James stroked her cheek and Katherine hugged him tightly, taking one last deep look into his eyes before he helped her board the lifeboat. Katherine wrapped her shawl tighter around her and glanced back one last time at James. That final look became imprinted in her mind: James helping others and telling them about Jesus.

 

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         “My daddy’s on that boat...is he going to die?” a little girl murmured as she made her way into Katherine’s lap with fearful eyes.

         As she comforted the little one in her servant-like arms, Katherine closed her eyes and thoughts flooded her mind of James sinking deep into the water.

         “We are weak, but the Lord is strong...” Katherine whispered to herself, pondering some of James’ last words.

        

         The vivid pictures from that night recurred in Katherine’s mind often as she grew through the years.  Not long after her rescue from the icy waters, Katherine found herself in a loving Christian home and later married a godly young man...a humble man after God’s own heart, as James had counseled her.  And although James’ earthly life had ended that night, the vision placed upon him for serving the Lord lived on.  The precious letter he had pressed into her hand that night included scriptural guidance as well as carefully written diagrams and program ideas for an orphanage.  Katherine, with her husband, worked hard to build the orphanage and many children came to Christ through James’ vision. Promise, the little girl who had joined her on the life boat, became the adopted daughter of Katherine and her husband and a trusted helper with the orphanage.   They named their newly-born eldest son James, and it was her prayer that he would grow up to be like his uncle...strong, chivalrous and a man after God’s own heart… one who placed women and children above himself.

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"Elizabeth is a home-educated young lady who is thankful for her Savior, Jesus Christ, and it is her prayer that she would honor Him in all she does and says. She also enjoys reading and memorizing God's Word, spending time outdoors in God's Creation with her family, photography, edifying conversations, music, writing, serving the Lord, and sharing the love of Christ with others. Feel free to visit her blog Joyful Jewels 4 Jesus."