« Pennsylvania: The Bake Sale is Back in Business | Main | Jimmy Dean, Sausage King & Baptist, Dies at 81 »
June 11, 2010
The Faith of Abby Sunderland and her Family
"We are born-again Christians, and we don't make any decision just based on feeling or even on sound knowledge,” says dad of circumnavigating teen.
Rescue craft are on their way to recover 16-year-old Abby Sunderland, the teenager who tried to become the youngest sailor ever to circle the globe alone.
The Sunderland family lost contact with her yacht, Wild Eyes, on Thursday morning when she ran into trouble on the Indian Ocean. A Qantas Airbus A330 found her later that day. She was fine, but turbulent seas had knocked over Wild Eyes’ mast.
Members of the Sunderlands’ church, Blessed Hope Chapel in Simi Valley, Calif., heard the news at a late-night prayer meeting for Abby on Thursday evening, according to the Ventura County Star.
"We just know that Abby is in his hands and nobody can snatch her from his hands," Pastor Joe Schimmel said as the service started. An hour later, at 11 p.m., they got a text message saying that Abby was all right, and according to the Star, Schimmel “raised his hands in jubilation.”
Her trip around the world is over, but her family is just happy to find her well: “We are very, very happy and excited that the Australian search and rescue jumped on this right away, got a plane after her,” Abby’s father, Laurence Sunderland, told CNN.
Before the voyage, Laurence told the Los Angeles Times that he believed “the Lord is in control of everything” on Abby’s journey.
"We are born-again Christians, and we don't make any decision just based on feeling or even on sound knowledge,” he told the Times in a video interview. “We also pray about it. The conviction of prayer and the answer to prayer has led to where we are with Abigail's campaign.”
Abby’s mother, Marianne, told momlogic.com that the Sunderland family became Christians when their oldest son, Zac, was 4. In 2008, the 17-year-old Zac became the youngest person to complete a solo voyage around the world. This past week, he graduated from the Trinity Pacific Christian School program, a homeschool organization in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
“God was with me every nautical mile,” he said of his own historic voyage during his graduation at Calvary Community Church, according to the Star.
With two children now having taken shots at the world record, Marianne Sunderland is grateful for God’s care.
“Sometimes I wake up during the night and I think about what could happen and think of her out there alone on the ocean,” she said. “I start to get nervous. But I believe that God controls the wind and the waves and whatever comes to her.”
Comments
I prayed for this young woman and her family June 10th, as many many did, and was reluctant to go to bed until I knew what the Qantas Airbus would report. It was a great joy in the morning to find out she was all right. This young woman and her family, in their faith and courage, are not just an example to the world but to followers of Jesus. Christians - break some barriers, run where no one's run before, take Jesus into the hard places, move Christianity out of the spectator sport category, take some risks and turn the world upside down for the love of God and the love of the full life Christ died to give us! Thanks, Abby!
Posted By: Murray | June 11, 2010 1:03 PM
I'm glad they are Christians, but what were the parents thinking?? Abby is only 16 and the ocean is dangerous for experienced adult sailors, much less a 16 year old girl. I don't care how much experience she has, she is still a child.
Posted By: Jennifer | June 11, 2010 4:41 PM
I'm glad this girl is OK, but the parents sound like idiots. Do they really not know how many people have been injured or killed while "safe in God's hands."?
Posted By: kathleen | June 11, 2010 11:25 PM
what a wonderful thing to hear that abby is safe and sound, and that we serve a God who hears and answers prayer(Jeremiah 33:3)! i saw the "fish" on the side of abby's boat in a file picture, and thought that their faith must be in the Lord! william cowper once wrote: "God works in a mysterious was, His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm." thanks for sharing!
Posted By: george spaulding | June 12, 2010 7:06 AM
At 16 years old, young people are well on their way to make their own decisions (or should be). In some cultures they are getting married and having children. If this young person has it in her mind to attempt a feat so grand as sailing around the world alone then hat's off to her. Furthermore, hat's off to her parents for recognizing the incredible strength of character and pursuit of adventure in their offspring and supporting her (and her brother) to take great risks to achieve great things. I am sure this will not be last we see of the Sunderlands' achievements.
Well done, mom and dad!! Good job, Abby!
Posted By: Phyllis LaBranche | June 12, 2010 8:46 AM
It is written Satan has deceived the whole world until the heel of time when a woman shall bruise him by exposing his lies Gen 3:15. Check out the bruising of Satan at http://thegoodtale.blogspot.com please read all posts to see the whole picture.
Posted By: val | June 12, 2010 5:11 PM
It is a irresponsible that the rescue of Abby is attributed to anyone but the goodwill and taxpayers dollars of the people of Australia. If you have so much faith in God to protect her then next time she gets in trouble we should just leave her in His hands on the open ocean and see where she gets with that. Faith is no substitute for common sense.
Posted By: Bob | June 12, 2010 6:19 PM
God also instructs us not to test him.
I am also a Christian, but Im afraid that families who perform antics like this give Christians the reputation of being irrational kooks.
Posted By: Sensible Christian | June 14, 2010 8:55 AM
I think that the point that the family is making, is that they prayed about her going. They recieved a prompting that it would be okay, and that the Lord would watch over her. To just send her and assume everything would be okay would be foolish. To pray and be told that it is okay is a different story. Did those people help rescue her - yes. Did the Lord have a hand in it - yes. Many people are searched for and never found. The Lord uses people everday to help fulfill His will.
As far as the age thing goes - I have met many 16 year olds that are more mature than some 25 year olds I have met. When children are raised to be responsible, helpful young adults, rather than spoiled, helpless teenagers they are capable of far more than what society gives them credit for.
Posted By: Brenda | June 14, 2010 9:40 AM
What about her brother who sailed around the world last year? Nobody is saying his parents are irresponsible for letting HIM do it. Talk about double standard.
Posted By: N | June 14, 2010 1:39 PM
I just don't know what to think of this article. I compare it to the news reports and commentators and their analysis of the situation. The news says that craft was not seaworthy and should never had been sent out without better preparation. If fact, there was engine problems from the very start, but they proceeded anyway. Then today I read where the father of the girl says he is broke and was setting up a reality show for his family and for Abby. And the neighbors say of the family that the dad is controlling and the family does not associate with any of the neighbors, but keeps too themselves. I guess I will never really know the truth or the dad's heart. But I do know, as a dad myself, I would not, being in healthy authority over my former teen kids, allow my child to be at risk of danger. Reminding myself that they are not my children, but only on loan from my Father, and I must be a good steward of everything that is His.
Posted By: Jonathan | June 14, 2010 3:47 PM
I just heard on the news that the father of Abby is shopping around for a reality TV show because he's financially tapped out. Not sure where that will lead but I do think these parents are not the norm. I could never allow my child to do what they allowed Abby to do. I'm thankful she is safe but I do believe her parents used poor judgment.
Posted By: Sue | June 14, 2010 3:48 PM
As a Christian educator, I feel that for a 16 or 17 year old to sail solo around the world is not a worthy goal. I felt this way when news came of the other 16 yr. old girl accomplished this feat. Although the parents said they prayed about their daughter's desire to be the youngest to sail solo around the world, I can't help having doubts as to their own goals for their children.
Sailing solo around the world would be a huge accomplishment for anyone, but usually this type voyage is reserved for older, more mature persons who have already achieved other more worthy things in life.
Posted By: Allyce | June 14, 2010 5:01 PM
I prayed for this young woman's safety. However, I heard on the radio yesterday that her father is expecting the US and Australian (?) governments to pick up the $300,000 cost of responding to Abby's distress signal. I believe that the family should pay for this cost, Christians or not. I also think that Mr. Sunderland didn't provide godly fatherly leadership in allowing both his son and his daughter to undertake such dangerous voyages.
Posted By: Discerning believer | June 14, 2010 7:51 PM
I think these people are BABY christians and should have sought wise council from from someone wise in this area.I think alot of people do what they want to do and say God led them.Would you seek marriage counseling from someone divorced 5 times? I would hope not!! They should have sought out wise council and I am afraid that is not their pastor 2 years old in the Lord I am afraid these people are going on feelings not sound biblical principles.
Posted By: tonig | June 16, 2010 12:30 AM
It never ceases to amaze me how judgmental Christians are of one another and of others. Who are we to question what God has or has not told someone to do that is not addressed in scripture? We see life through our lenses, not God's. What looks crazy to us is many times used mightily by God. Many Biblical scholars think Mary was only 14 years old when the angel appeared to her. Throughout history, there was not any acknowledgment of teenage years; you were considered an adult, period. They will answer to God, as you will. Have faith; they do! Just because it did not work out the way we think it should, doesn't mean God wasn't in it. May I remind you of Jim Elliott and the other missionaries killed by the Auca Indians. Were they crazy and wrong to go to the Aucas?. It looked like a failure, but God used it. Quit putting God in a box.
Posted By: MDH | June 18, 2010 2:28 PM