You have got to be kidding me, I thought.
I slid onto the floor next to a pile of three-day-old clean laundry.

The television was muted with an afternoon talk show, and I was buried in every way. How was I going to manage surviving a literal storm when there was already one brewing inside me? I watched the public service announcement scroll across the screen. I was not amused.” Fresh Out of Amazing, Chapter 1.

Storms have a way of whipping back into our lives, have you ever noticed that? 

Today as our family prepares for the worst hurricane to hit Florida in years, I am reminded of how similar thing are to the first few lines of my new book, and yet also how different.

Hurricane? (check)

Clean pile of laundry? (of course)

My lack of amusement? (yep)

Feeling Fresh Out of Amazing? (Oh, yeah)

If you read the first chapter,  you will find out that physical storm I was talking about was downgraded. We survived it with a few rain showers. The one inside of me raged on and eventually God used it to show me how amazing he is.

I think God allows lessons to repeat in our lives. In fact, I know it. I used to think you went through a trial and then you moved on. But know I KNOW you don’t move on, you move inward. Deeper. Harder. Endurance. Why? Because, he loves us too much to leave us the way we are. He desires our maturity more than our maintenance. 

And so, this time I’m pretty sure that the storm is strengthening. We won’t most likely get a downgrade. How are we feeling about it? Well, we are nervous, but we are OK. We have done all we can do to prepare. For now, I’m going to make bread, clear out a safe place under the stairs for my girls to hang out in when it gets really rough, we are going to pray…

And take God at his Word.

]Matthew 8:23-27 “And then Jesus got into a boat, and His disciples followed Him. 24 Out of nowhere, a vicious storm blew over the sea. Waves were lapping up over the boat, threatening to overtake it! Yet Jesus was asleep. 25 Frightened (not to mention confused—how could anyone sleep through this?), the disciples woke Him up. Disciples: Lord, save us! We’re going to drown! Jesus: 26 Please! What are you so afraid of, you of little faith? Jesus got up, told the wind and the waves to calm down, and they did. The sea became still and calm once again. 27 The disciples were astonished. Disciples: Who is this? What sort of man is He, that the sea and the winds listen to Him?”

Because even the winds obey him. 

We will take refuge in him.

xo,

Stacey