Softening the Sound of Thunder and Getting Us Through the Storm

It was about 5:00 this morning when I was aroused from my sleep by the deep rumbles and eery flashes of a thunderstorm.  I rolled over trying to block out the sights and sounds filling my bedroom, when a sweet, soft-spoken voice caught my attention.  It was Eliana, "Mommy, I can't sleep!"  Without saying a word, I motioned for her to hop into bed beside me.  Another chorus of thunder echoed through my bedroom, followed by violent flashes of lightening.  I closed my eyes, trying to block it all out.

A few seconds later, I felt a little hand upon my arm.  I looked up to see Amaris standing beside my bed.  Once again, without saying a word, I motioned for Amaris to jump into my bed too.  With every flash of lightening, I could feel two little bodies sliding up against me more closely, for comfort...for protection.  With every rumble of thunder, I could feel two little hands reaching out to make sure that I was close by. 

Eventually, the storm seemed as though it was finally beginning to pass.  Amaris sat up and confidently said, "Mommy, do you know why I come to your bed when it storms so much?  Because the thunder doesn't seem as loud when you are with me and the lightening doesn't seem as scary.  Isn't that good Mommy?"   ...I remember feeling that way as a child.

I know that probably many of you are experiencing a storm right now in your own personal lives.  You may have even tried to tightly shut your eyes thinking if you block out the sights and sounds of the storm surrounding you, it will quickly pass. Or quite possibly, you are in a season of life where the sky is blue and cloudless, not a single rain cloud is in sight.  But you and I both know that eventually, the blue of the sky will turn to a dark shade of gray and dark clouds will begin to appear, signaling an impending storm.

The question is, how will you get through the storm when it arrives?  Will you bury your face in the covers hoping that it will not last long?  Or, when God motions for you to come to Him so that he can comfort you, will you press into Him, trusting that He will get you through the storm unharmed.  You do have a choice!

Typically, I find myself covering my eyes, holding my breath, and planning where I will seek safety just in case the storms in my life take a turn for the worse.  But this morning, the Lord reminded me that all I have to do is reach out my hand and I would feel Him there with me...He is always there, you know?.  I just choose to ignore His presence at times.  Isn't that crazy?  I know that if I just pressed into the Lord, He would get me through the storm.    

What about you?  When the impending storm arrives in your life, will you choose to try and get through it on your own, or will you trust the Lord to bring you safely to the other side?

Maybe this is a difficult question for you to answer because you feel so battered and bruised from previous storms in your life...or maybe you just don't know how to trust Him.  Simply do as my girls did this morning.   
      
     Reach out your hand and feel Him there with you,
               Press your face deeply into his chest, 
                         then, trust Him to get you through the storm.

...God may not immediately remove the storm from your life and you still may see and hear all of the sounds which the storm brings with it, but the rumbling of the thunder won't seem quite as loud and the violent flashes of lightening won't seem quite as scary....If you trust in HIM!

A Fallen Chair, A Faithful Father

The piercing cry that resounded through the rooms of our home, was no doubt that of an injured child.  I quickly ran in the direction of the desperately sounding cry, my heart racing.  "I had only left the room a moment earlier...What could have possibly happened?" 

 When I arrived upon the scene, there before me was a scared, trembling, and helpless child, pinned onto the hard floor beneath a fallen chair.  Avidan looked up at me with tear-filled eyes...I wanted to cry too.  As quickly as I could, I gently lifted the chair off of his tiny little frame, praying to God that he was not injured.  As soon, as the chair was safely out of the way, I bent down over my son, scooped him up into my arms, and pulled his sweet little head close to my chest, whispering in his ear, "Mommy is here, Avidan, Mommy is here."

Without hesitation, Avidan wrapped his short little arms around my neck, reciprocating the gentle comfort that I tried to give him.  Within a few moments, his cries began to hush, turning to just a tiny whimper.  Soon, all that remained was a quiet, helpless child, clinging to my neck.  

Since then, I have replayed the events of that day in my mind over and over again.  I also have thought about the times that I have felt scared or alone...the times I have felt overcome with pain.  And yet, unlike my sweet child, I often times did not turn to my Heavenly Father for comfort for my scared and trembling body.  Rather, I ran away thinking to myself, "It will be okay, I just need to get over it."  OR  "I just need to be strong right now."  

Have you ever felt that way?  Have you ever desired so desperately to be comforted, yet were too proud to allow it, like me?  Why is it that as adults, we are often times too prideful to seek the comfort of our Heavenly Father when we walk through trails?  Ahh, I desire so deeply to be like my son.  I desire to cry out to my Heavenly Father for my every need...fear...pain.

The Bible contains verse after verse confirming  that God is with us through our trials: (This list hasn't even scratched the surface)

"When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O Lord, supported me.  When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."  Psalm 94:18-19

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."  Psalm 46:1

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."  Psalm 34:4

"So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10

Maybe today, you are like that of a helpless, trembling child.  Maybe your marriage seems to be falling apart before your very eyes.  Possibly, you are struggling with infertility, wondering if you will ever be able to hold the child that you have dreamt about for so long.  Or, maybe you are facing the possibility of losing your job, questioning how you are going to pay this month's mounting bills.  Or maybe your are suffering from depression or some physical illness, feeling as though you are all alone.  Be encouraged!  God desires to scoop you up from underneath the chair that has entrapped you and pull your helpless frame close to His chest...He desires to lovingly whisper in your ear, "Daddy is here (your name), Daddy is here."