How a whale of a tale helped me surrender to God’s larger plans

By Heather Henson

Heather and Ross Henson

It was June of 2007 when my husband Ross and I set off from our home on the east coast of Australia for our grand adventure on the other side of the country, marking Ross’s transition into new employment with a holiday. 

Through many experiences in our life together, our faith and perseverance have been tested time and again. 

I had traumatic, near-death experiences while birthing my two children in the 1980s. Later, our young family became temporary expatriates, moving to a remote, mountainous area of Papua New Guinea to work in a primary health care and literacy project. 

During our time in Papua New Guinea, people living nearby were killed, raped, and injured in tribal warfare. Ross was twice held up at gunpoint, and our young son and I were evacuated by plane to a nearby town after we were involved in an armed holdup. 

It was stressful. I cried. I felt very anxious and fearful. I prayed. But we felt sheltered in, and carried by, God’s presence. 

During the long cross-country drive from Melbourne to Western Australia, we traveled through the vast Nullarbor Plain where we stopped at a whale watching center.

I was thrilled to see the famous rugged cliffs of the Great Australian Bight, but the spectacular sight of a whale breaching reawakened my dream of seeing the animals in the wild.

Once in Albany, we visited a former whaling station transformed into a modern tourist attraction. It explained the history of whale hunting. The graphic descriptions of the majestic animals, hunted and slaughtered in vast numbers, caused me deep grief. 

I felt a wave of anger and resentment toward the whalers; then I noticed a heavy physical pain between my shoulders.

Years earlier, doctors diagnosed me with a fatal illness affecting my brain and gave me only months or maybe years to live. Yet I was healed in a way doctors cannot explain, and seven years later they confirmed it was gone. 

Since my miraculous healing, I noticed pain and heaviness in my back only returned when I was carrying stress.

Now, in my grief for the whales, I realized I had judged and condemned people of past generations and it weighed heavily upon me. 

I needed help. Remembering that the heavy burden was not mine to carry, I turned from the problem to focus on Jesus. Coming down from my lofty judgement seat, I forgave the whalers, surrendered them to God, and asked Him to forgive my wrong attitude. 

I felt peace and joy flow into my entire being, washing away the pain in my heart and back.

A whale-watching adventure  

To my delight the next morning, Ross returned from a walk saying, “Our time in Albany is not complete. Let’s book an extra night and go whale-watching?”

The next day, we met the captain, Paul, and his first mate Suzie as we excitedly boarded their small boat.

Leaving the safety of the sheltered harbour for the open sea, wintry winds blew up wild icy spray. As time went on, the big waves washed away my hopes and expectations. We were out for two hours but had not seen a whale.

Choosing trust in God’s plans over my own disappointment, I accepted that we would not see whales that day.

Just as I thanked God for the experience, Suzie moved to sit with Ross and me. She was so disappointed for us that we found ourselves comforting her. I shared with her my faith in Jesus. She asked how I felt about the whaling museum, and our conversation took a turn.

Suzie told me her sister, Carrie, had recently become a Christian. When I shared words from the Bible, coupled with my experiences with Jesus, Suzie often responded with, “That’s what Carrie says!”

It seemed the Holy Spirit was showing her the new life her sister had with Jesus was authentic and real.

When they suggested we try again the next day, Ross and I delayed our departure to accept the offer. After such a beautiful afternoon, it felt like “icing on the cake.”

A dream fulfilled

The night before the second cruise, I had a vivid dream. I saw myself standing on the front of a boat looking over the ocean.

In the dream Jesus said, “If you trust Me, raise your hand (I did!) and I will bring a whale to you. You won’t have to go and find it.”

The next morning, driving to our rendezvous, I studied the nearby sea for telltale signs of a whale. I thought I spotted one — or was it just wishful thinking?

At the boat, Captain Paul greeted us excitedly, “A humpback whale has been sighted coming to us — into the harbour! We hardly have to move to see it!

Just like the dream, the whale came to me. It could not be controlled by mankind. Mesmerized by the sight of the massive creature roaming free, I realized God had answered my heart. My joy, delight, and wonder overflowed into one word, “WOW!”

More than a decade has passed since “The year of the whale.”

I have discovered how life-giving it is to turn from my expectations, disappointments, and pain to a place of surrender and freedom in the love and grace of Jesus.

It reminds me that God is riding the waves with me as I learn to live free of fear and worry. God’s love is like an endless, sometimes wild, always wonderful, ocean I get to explore.

Jesus wants me to follow the call of His heart, free to go on the adventures of life guided, directed, and empowered by His Spirit. God’s joy will forever be my strength!

Heather Henson, together with husband Ross, lives a life full of adventure – their most recent was for two and half years in Athens, Greece. In late 2019 they returned to live in their hometown Melbourne in Australia. Heather hasn't even begun to write at length about life in Greece – she was too busy living the life of a cross-cultural worker. Parents to two, Heather and Ross are “Nana and Pa” to three beautiful granddaughters. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, reading as many books as she can, doing jigsaw puzzles, and learning the art of watercolour painting. Follow Heather on her blog, heatherhenson.org, as well as Instagram: @joybells_heather; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.henson.