The Storm

Two blogs in one month - almost unheard of it seems. But as I sit here while Emerie and Jonny are both getting some much needed sleep I can't think about how fortunate we are. It's no secret we're going through a bit of a rough patch right now - which has made me have a lot of heart to heart conversations with God lately. Reading my Bible today I came across a letter written by Gigi Graham Tchividjian (Billy Graham's daughter), who by the way I saw her son on tv today and he talked quite a bit about his family. A coincidence I happen upon this note? I think not.

Here goes:

I lay on the soft white sand while the children played happily in the surf nearby. Suddenly a shadow fell across my face. I looked up just in time to see the sun disappearing behind a big thunderhead. I turned my gaze to the ocean, which only moments before had been a bright mirror reflecting the blue sky. Now the whitecaps danced restlessly, and the gray waves angrily pounded the shore. Before I could collect the children and run for shelter, the heavens opened and the rain poured down. I was amazed how quickly the storm had gathered.
As we huddled in the shelter, my mind wandered back to anther storm.
Jesus had had a busy day. Helping, healing, and teaching, he was surrounded constantly by people. Now it was evening. As Jesus gazed out over the peaceful blue of the Lake Galilee, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side" (Mark 4:35). The set out in a small boat and soon Jesus fell asleep.
While he was resting, a powerful storm arose. The waves beat against the sides of the ship, filling it with water. The disciples were afraid and cried out to him, saying, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" Jesus got up and looke dotu over the sea. He saw the waves and felt the wind and said, "Quiet, be still!" And all was calm again. Then he turned to his disciples, "Why do you have so little faith?" (Mark 4:35-41), author's paraphrase).
Storms arise in our lives, too. A telephone call brings sudden jolting news. A letter brings disappointment. A child has an accident. A small pain develops into a serious illness. Death...divorce...financial reverses. Or maybe the source of distress is jus the everyday pressures and tensions that build and bulid unti the thunderhead erupts into a storm.
I, too, have ahd my share of storms. Some have been brief afternoon showers. Others have been caused by tensions that have burst upon my life suddenly, hitting had and leaving in their wake damage and debris. Like the disciples I have been afraid and have cried out, "Lord, don't you care?" And later, when all is calm agian, I hear him say, "Gigi, why do you have so little faith?"
He has never promised a life free from stomrs, but he has romised to be with us in the midst of them and to bring us safely to the other side if we believe in him and rely on him.

Okay, It's Leah again. Isn't that a great little letter? A week ago I was definatley asking God why he wasn't looking out for us. No sooner had I asked God that question we then started to receive God and his blessings. I see now that we never really were in any real danger and that we were in God's care and God's plan the entire time. Praise God for all of you who God has used to help pull us through all of this. We do see a light at the end of this seemingly endless tunnel that we've found ourselves in.