"Storms"

We all experience storms in our lives—storms that are unexpected, damaging, out of our control, costly. As we recently watched the fury of Hurricane Irma devastating the Florida Keys, we never dreamed that her destructive power would lash out at us in Georgia—the first tropical storm in history

to hit the North Georgia Mountains. As the sheets of rain poured down and the gusts of wind increased, our trees started churning in circles. After dark, all we could hear were the snaps and thuds of trees falling in our back yard—praying that none would hit our house. The next morning, our former lawn was covered in trees and branches. The root balls of huge oak trees were pulled totally out of the ground.

Ironically, no matter where we live geographically, personal “Irma” storms will unexpectedly hit our lives. When we are counseling, we watch the Father cleaning up the debris from the “floods” in our lives, putting out “wild fires” in our relationships, blowing his “gale-force winds” to fell the trees and expose all the unhealthy roots in our lives, and picking up the broken pieces from the “tornadoes” of our past (especially our childhood). With our permission and yielding, he will begin rebu

ilding us to his original design.

But, it usually takes storms. Doesn’t it? Storms that break through our masks Our performance? Our denial? Our status quo? The storms in our lives will always create havoc, pain, and grief. But, if we yield to the Father—“the repairer of the breach and the restorer of homes to dwell in,” he will use our very sufferings to plant new seeds of hope and healing into the soil of our lives. It will take time. It takes hard work. Hang on to his promise. You are not alone. You are loved.