STORMS

I woke up early this morning to bad storms in our area. High winds, heavy rainfall, and a possibility of tornadoes. What is interesting is that just four days ago our temperature was 7 degrees and we closed schools due to the cold. Today it is 56 degrees!! I didn't want to get out in the storm but knew I had gymnastics carpool this morning. Tori-bug and her friend needed to be at gym by 10am in a METAL building. The weather forecasters were saying to not venture out if you didn't have to. They also said this 4 days ago. Living in Georgia..... it's like a joke around here saying "bad storms, ice, snow (even if it's only two flakes), lightning, etc. run to the store before the storms hit and grab your milk and bread in case you run out when the storms come". It's rather amusing. I traveled to Haiti for the first time in May 2011. Just 15 months after the biggest "storm" ever to hit their country. In case you have been living under a rock, an EARTHQUAKE. Haitians called it "gwo machin ki pase" or the "big truck that went by". I read several stories about the earthquake including the book called The Big Truck that went by Jonathan Katz and Paul Farmers book "Haiti After the Earthquake". Great reads if you find the time. Traveling to Haiti just months after this huge "storm" was an experience. Not only was life still devastating for them at that point, but much, much more was still emotionally devastating. People continued to walk around in a daze, living in tents, searching for food, etc. The ones that had lost family members were still very much grieving. The others were that didn't were just as bad. Everybody was living in fear. Fear that another "storm" would come and not knowing when made it even more difficult. As I was preparing to go out in the storm this morning, I was fearful. I was plain out not wanting to get out in the mess. I hate driving in rain and it had already dumped large amounts all night. We had our own personal Lake Whiddon in my front yard. But.... I knew the girls needed to get to gym. They have their first meet tomorrow. Tori-bug is injured and won't be competing but has continued to practice and we will show up to cheer on our team mates. So, I put on some clothes and shoes and off we went. I had to drive very slow the entire drive and we passed a truck wreck where a man was up on his side in a 10 foot embankment. We arrived safely a little bit late since I was trying to be so cautious. On my long drive home alone, God gave me this devotion. Christians are never promised that the "storms" won't come. We all know they will. It is a guarantee. We never know when or where they will hit in our life, but they WILL come. Much like Haitians, some of us are afraid. We shouldn't be though. We have the King of the Universe watching over us. We should be ready. We should be willing to face the "storms" head on, just like I did this morning. Maybe you are facing your own "STORM" today. Maybe you have been facing a storm for quite some time. Maybe it looks bleak and messy just like it looks outside today. BUT..... take heart and face it head on! You have the King on your side!! Sometimes He is walking beside you, sometimes He is falling behind you, and some days He is just plain carrying us through! But He is there!! P.S. Tomorrow Jan. 12, 2014 is the four year anniversary of the Earthquake that hit Haiti. I am so happy that most have moved on with their lives, moved out of the tents, and are not still wallowing in their grief. Praise God for that! I will be remembering all of them tomorrow just like I do every day. Say an extra prayer if you think about it. The Haitians I know, know that God is still carrying them through 4 years later! Always serving Him, Wendy