Weathering the storm

When living on the coast, you anticipate the inevitability of Tropical Storms/Hurricanes during the hurricane season. (June - November) Even though Lee did not hit us directly, we were in fact recipients of rain, wind, and more rain. This was my first experience living at the coast during a this kind of a storm. We lived with three days of rain, tornado watches, and lots of wind. With that said, I cannot being to imagine how frightening living through such storms as Katrina, Hugo, and other such hurricanes would be. Fear for your family, friends, your own life, possessions, treasures, and potential loss of the known.

In the midst of that fear God is present. After the storm, God is present. In the days to follow, God is present. The calm after the storm is a beautiful thing. The sky became a beautiful blue, the air was clear, humidity was low, and peace embraced all who payed attention. It must have been how the disciples felt when on the boat with Jesus when the storm came up so quickly. The calm after the storm is a beautiful thing. One to pay attention to. One to embrace.

During the midst of life's storms, it is hard to imagine there will ever be "the calm after the storm" As it was experiencing my first coastal tropical storm, I couldn't even imagine how amazing the calm was going to be. I am learning to trust and look for God's presence in the midst of life's storms while anticipating the peace to follow. Oddly enough, peace seemed to prevail during the midst of it all.

God's imminent presence is evident in and through all things. Thanks be to God.