When the Rain Comes...

I am writing this post in true admiration of so many of my friends who's worlds have been shaken to their core - repeatedly, and yet their faith is stronger than ever.

It is an interesting change moving from a 10 year draught in NC to Kentucky where it has been one storm after another. Snowed all winter and has rained most everyday since it's gotten above 32 degrees.  There have been times that I thought, even though there is a storm cellar in my basement it will be of No Use if its stinking Flooded.  There have been nights that I have laid awake and listened to the roof creak and have driven Trey crazy because I just knew we needed to take the kids downstairs before we were looking directly at the storm.  As the rain has howled around us and there have been tornado warnings all over. There have been times I've looked out the window and forgotten that behind all the huge black clouds there is a Sun. There have been times that I've become so accustomed to the storms and bitter cold that a clear day or two have slipped by without me and the kids going out to enjoy it.

God has brought several thoughts to mind through this. Let me see if I can organize them.

1.) Sometimes it takes a Huge storm to knock all the Dust off.  (God's just doing his own Spring Cleaning :) )

• Don't we become sedate in our faith, where God has to shake us up in order to clean us up, and bring us back to our knees?
• Sometimes if one storm doesn't do it, He uses several storms. 

2.)  Like the Potter with the clay. Sometimes He uses many storms to shape us into what He's created us to be.

3.) Sometimes, what we consider a storm may be His way of protecting us, providing for us or re-prioritizing us.

....And then, there are times like These Storms, where the rain Never Seems to End.

I have so many friends who every time they receive one Big Storm there's another one to come in it's wake.  I have friends who have endured hardships I can barely fathom, and yet their faith grows stronger with every downpour. Friends who see Gods hand of mercy so clearly through each and every blow and they are blessed more than most of us to see how He lovingly provides. 

I am also blessed to have a friend who every time I have the audacity to utter a complaint, something I see as So big, she can say, ""Really? Is "that" what you're going to complain about?!?""  

"How can God receive the Glory out of our hardships if we're going to complain about them the whole way, instead of saying. 

Job 38
God, I wasn't there when You laid the foundations of the earth. I'm not there as You walk across the depths of the ocean. I'm Not the one who tells the waves where to stop.  I'm not there as you wake the earth with the sun. God My life is Whatever you choose it to be. Whatever gains or whatever losses!  Because if it is for Your Glory, that is all I desire as gain.

I'm not saying that this is an easy prayer because of course there are things of this world that matter to me. But I want what "matters" to me, my treasures, to be down to my husband and children but in light of Christ and if He asked for them that I can open my hands and allow Him full charge over them, and I do, but I can't deminish my Joy that I have and my Crazy love that I have for them.  Job 1:21

I want to praise Him in the storm and if the storm takes my possessions I want to hand them over freely. Because my junk is "Junk" in light of Who He is.

But today...! Today after all those nasty, howling storms, that never touched me. They just prowled around like a lion that never attacked.
Today God's glory Flowed through the Sun and All is Green! The Storms are Over!

Rev. 21:5-6
And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new " And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

Dear Friends,
I want you to know that One day, these storms will be over, and His Grace Will endure. I don't know the reason's He has chosen your life to accomplish such work, but I want you to know that His Glory rests on you and it's not by accident and He has Not forgotten you! Remain Faithful!  Rev. 21:7
Because even though you may at times feel like your alone, I want you to know that your enduring faith has shaped me.  I can only hope that if God does decide to allow my life such hardships as I have seen you endure, that He would grant me the grace, faith and perserverance I have seen in so many of you! Thank You!