Saturday, May 1, 2010

after the storm

we have had some terrible storms both last saturday and yesterday (saturday). in fact, yesterday we were at the y and they made us go into the locker rooms for 15 minutes because supposedly a tornado was spotted. that was fun.

as a california girl i am not used to tornado warnings and sirens and thunder and lightning. yes, i have lived here for over 3 years but that does not mean that i am used to stuff like this yet. i remember the first time tornado sirens went off at our house in sheffield. i was home by myself with sean and had NO idea what to do. the house had no basement, so i had no where to go. we didn't have cable, internet, or a weather radio, so i didn't have a clue as to what was happening. i felt so isolated & i remember my heart racing for fear of the unknown. i called dathan crying (yes, i was crying) and he told me what to do and offered to come home. he wanted to make sure i not only felt safe, but actually was safe.

how many times in life are we in a storm? not a literal storm, but a physical, spiritual, or emotional storm? isn't it the same thing? we feel as if things are crumbling around us and we have no clue what's going on? and that we can be so bombarded by our turmoil inside or around us that we feel isolated from the world? we become full of fear & anxiety, loneliness & hurt. it seems like the 'storm' will never end.

i know we have all been there. and really when we are in a storm, we are left with two ultimate options. the first would be to panic, lose all sight of wisdom, & break down. the second would be to trust in the One who created us to guide us in what we are supposed to do and make sure that we not only are safe but feel safe.

because you see, the thing about storms is that they do, eventually, end. some are longer than others. some cause more damage than others. but not a single storm has ever lasted forever. not one in history. even when God flooded the earth it only rained for 40 days. and what did noah and his family see after the worst storm in history? a rainbow. a sign of life, hope, and a promise from God that they will be taken care of and safe. God turned the storm that caused so much destruction into a portrait of beauty and hope.

last saturday, when the storm ended, we walked outside to a newly awakened beauty that was hidden before the storm... new life. now the trees & flowers have already blossomed here and everything was green... but... after this storm there was a vibrancy in the green that wasn't there before. it was breathtaking. you couldn't help but notice how bright and beautiful the green was.

green most commonly represents new life. during the storms God is preparing our hearts to make them new. i don't want to ever be a stagnant Christian. i don't want my relationship with Christ to stay the same... i want to grow & change & become better. in doing that, i am a new person. but it's not just the easy situations and blessings in life that turn us into the new person we so long to be. the storms play such a pivotal role in that.


God wants us to have our roots firmly planted in Him. in doing that, we have built a firm foundation to weather any storm that comes our way. we can stand strong through the winds and the rain, holding onto the Hope that we are not only taken care of but becoming new.


our hearts can be vibrant from the new life inside. people can look at us and see something different, something beautiful.


if you are going through a storm in your life right now just remember- the storm does end and the sun does come back out. you are not forgotten or alone, but the God of the universe who can calm the sea and reign a raging wind is reaching out to you. just grab His hand, accept His help, and allow Him to be what you need Him to. when the storm is over and the clouds have parted you will see that the sun is out again, the skies are blue, and you are vibrant with new life.


be blessed!
~ES

1 comment:

Catherine Anne said...

We too have had bad storms. Tornados at that! Glad you all are safe.,