Tag Archives: storms of life

Not All Storms In Life Are Hurricanes

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By Sandy Kirby Quandt

Tired of hearing about hurricanes?

I’m sure folks in the path of the storms sure are. I know I am. Those of us who live in hurricane prone areas know hurricane season runs from June through November, with September starting peak season. We know that. And each year we keep our eyes on anything that forms off the west coast of Africa and in the Gulf of Mexico.

We just do.

But as I thought about how destructive hurricanes can be, my thoughts turned to how destructive the hurricanes in each of our individual lives can be. You know; the things we struggle with on a regular basis just as sure as we struggle with weather events.

Relationship problems. Financial worries. Family issues. Addictions that flood our lives and leave our homes wreaked. We all don’t face the same storms, but we all face storms, do we not?

Maybe our storms crop up in certain situations or seasons, much like the storms off the coast of Africa.

Family gatherings. Work get togethers. Unexpected expenses. These are what I call unpredictable predictables. We may not know when the storm will hit or how devastating it will be, but we know the storm clouds are forming.

So just as preparations need to be made long before a hurricane makes landfall, preparations need to be made long before we encounter the events we know are destructive to the extent we are able.

Maybe the best way to deal with the inevitable hurricanes of life is to do a little prep work.

Stock up on the essentials. Faithful friends, sound Biblical knowledge, teachable spirit to learn the lessons God wants us to learn from the storm, humility to admit when we’re wrong. Add your own essentials here. _____________

Gather information from reliable sources, assess whether we need to evacuate, then make the correct decision.

Leave those toxic situations that flood our very being with unhealthy habits and thoughts. Work through those that don’t.

Monitor the situation. Keep in close contact with God. Stay vigilant. Have accountability partners and prayer warriors nearby at all times.

We shouldn’t wait until the rain pours into our home to prepare for the storms of life. The time to prepare is before they become an issue. Pray up. Stay connected to God and his people. Be willing to ask for help, and be willing to help when asked.

So how do you prep for the storms of life?

Leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the subject.

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When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Through the Storms

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There have been two times which I recall being in a terrific storm on the water. Once was when Pilot and I were on our sail boat on the Indian River in Florida. The other time was when we were on an ocean liner in the Caribbean Sea. That storm was labeled the Storm of the Century. The Perfect Storm was based on its effects.

Although the Storm of the Century was much worse, the sail boat adventure was the scariest. You see, I don’t know how to sail a boat, and all the while I held the tiller, as Pilot scrambled to lower the sails, I feared he would be swept overboard. Truly.

I knew enough, that if that did happen, I was to drop the sail into the water near him, so he could grab hold. The problem would have been me getting the boat to where he was. Me dropping the sail without joining Pilot in the drink. And me actually being of any use, at all.

WE WERE DOOMED!

Obviously…we survived.

Pilot, with all his nautical skill and cunning, did not fall overboard.

You’d better believe I was praying awfully hard during the whole ordeal. Awfully hard. And thankfully, God heard. Though the skies were ominous, the winds ferocious, and lightning flashed and thunder crashed all around, it eventually calmed, and we made safe harbor.

Some of you may never find yourself in an actual boat on stormy seas, but I gather you’ve had your share of storms in life. To my way of thinking…it’s the same thing.

Waves raised us high, and plunged us under them. Strong winds yanked our dreams, hopes, and desires from our hands, and tossed them overboard. Lightning  flashed and thunder boomed. We scurried for shelter, but there was none to be found. It’s enough to make even the skilled sailor lose courage.

 

That’s when we call out to the LORD. The One who has control over all things. He controls the tempests that brew in our souls and in our lives. He calms the storms, and brings us to safe harbor. His love is constant, and he is to be thanked for bringing us through our hard places.

Indeed.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Some sailed over the ocean in ships, earning their living on the seas. They saw what the Lord can do, his wonderful acts on the seas. He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow and stirred up the waves. The ships were lifted high in the air and plunged down into the depths. In such danger the sailors lost their courage; they stumbled and staggered like drunks—all their skill was useless. Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the raging storm, and the waves became quiet. They were glad because of the calm, and he brought them safe to the port they wanted. They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.    Psalm 107:23-31 (GNT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Invite Jesus Into Your Boat

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The story is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and John. Jesus and his disciples have just finished feeding the 5,000 with a small amount of food, by man’s measure. But enough to feed the crowd, and have twelve baskets full of leftovers, by God’s measure. (John 6:1-15)

After the crowd left, Jesus sent his disciples across the lake for Capernaum, while he went off by himself to pray.

When the disciples were about three and a half miles out, a strong wind came up, and the waters grew rough. Jesus noticed the frightened disciples’ predicament, and set out to meet them. Walking on the water.

As soon as Jesus got into the boat with the disciples, the winds calmed.

The disciples were obeying Jesus. He’d told them to take a boat across the lake, and they did. Still, a storm rose up, and threatened their safety.

It wasn’t until they asked Jesus into the boat, that the fierce winds calmed, and they made it safe to the other shore.

When the storms of life hit, we often wonder what we did wrong. What others did wrong. Looking at this moment in the disciples’ lives, I’d have to say they were in a pickle, and had done absolutely nothing wrong. They did nothing to cause their predicament. Maybe, the same can be said about our pickles.

But notice, as soon as the disciples asked Jesus into their boat, the waters calmed, and they reached the shore safely. Don’t miss that.

As soon as we invite Jesus into our boat, He’ll calm our seas and give us His peace. He’ll even take us to the other shore safely.

If we want to be ready for the storms that assail us, beat us up, and spit us out, I think we’d best invite Jesus into our boat. And keep him there.

Don’t you?

Then they (the disciples) willingly took him (Jesus) into the boat, and immediately the boat reached land at the place they were heading for. John 6:21 (GNT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Sometimes God Comes in the Clouds

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Sissy lives in the lightning capitol of the world, and is well accustomed to storm clouds. She’s had more than her fair share of life-storms, as well. Next week, Sissy is facing majorly serious surgery. For those of you who are so inclined, I would sincerely appreciate your prayers on her behalf.

Sissy told Chief she wasn’t trying to compete with me to see who gets the most metal surgically implanted in their bodies. I told her she could win…don’t want any more metal in me, thank you very much.

But, you know what? I’ve lived in that very same lightning capitol, and equally dealt with more than enough life-storms. What I’ve observed, however, is the sun does eventually come back out. Maybe not as soon as we’d like, but it does come back out. You can count on it. And if you look hard enough, sometimes, you even get to see a rainbow, or two.

Near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, he took three of his closest followers up a high mountain. While on that mountain, Peter, James and John witnessed something no other human had ever seen. Right before their eyes, Jesus was transfigured…his appearance changed. His face shone like the sun. The brilliance surrounding him was nothing man could create. It was from God. (Matt 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36)

Then, who should appear out of nowhere? Moses and Elijah. Oh, yeah. This was definitely a God-thing.

So, Peter gets really excited, and decides three shelters should be built. One for Jesus. One for Moses. One for Elijah. While Peter was still making plans for these structures, a bright cloud enveloped them, and God spoke. After the disciples picked themselves up off the ground, literally, there was no one with them except Jesus.

And he was more than enough.

Storm clouds of life come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They can hover over us, or hover over our loved ones. They can blot out the sun and leave us dreary and depressed. They can seem foreboding and impenetrable. Just like the disciples on the mount discovered, God can speak through the clouds, if he’s so inclined.

Whatever cloud is blocking your sunshine right now, don’t give up. Don’t give in. Remember everything God’s already brought you through. Remember he will never leave or forsake you. No matter how dark the clouds become, Jesus is always right there with you.

Suddenly, when they (Peter, James and John) looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them. Mark 9:8 (NLT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Ready for the Storm

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Welp, looks like Tropical Storm Isaac is headed west. Could be a hurricane by the time it gets near.  Pilot, Pie, Explorer, the pups, and I have evacuated twice, due to hurricanes. In 2005 it was Hurricane Rita, just weeks after Katrina. I honestly believed Pilot and I would die in that storm. We were stuck in the horde of traffic, on the evacuation route, for 40 hours. 40 hours. Fortunately, we arrived to the safety of a dear friend’s home, just before the hurricane passed over us.

In 2008, our evacuation was compliments of Hurricane Ike. There is nothing more comforting than watching CNN from a hotel room, and hearing the anchor say something like, “We are in one of the neighborhoods that received the worst damage…”. You recognize your neighbors front yard, then see the camera pan past your home. It’s still standing! Limbs are down, but the trees in the front didn’t go through the roof.

Yea, God!

So now, we prepare for Isaac. Just in case it veers further west than the current models show. Not likely, but possible.

We’ll go to the store and stock up on essentials. Buy extra bottled water, more batteries. Put gas in the cars…

Going through the preparation drill reminded me of Dougie MacLean’s song, Ready for the Storm, which Rich Mullins recorded.

Storms in our lives can be major sources of fear and dread. We know what can happen. We’ve experienced their impact.  Their destruction. Their pain.

Storms of nature. Storms of life. We need to be prepared. When we find little to hold onto, we know we can hold onto the hand of the one who loves us. Once we do, we realize we needn’t be frightened.

We’re ready for the storm. 

I wish you well.

Sandy