The tornado relief effort

Well before dawn this morning, I headed out to meet my family in Starkville. We were going as a group to volunteer with the tornado/disaster relief effort in Louisville MS.  After Katrina, I had done manicures on victims of the storm. It was a soothing touch and gave me a chance to hear their stories and pray with them. That moment of calm and hope in the midst of utter destruction was very effective, and greatly appreciated. I had my manicure kit packed, fully expecting to do the same thing again.  

Today, we arrived at the volunteer processing tent, and it was immediately apparent that I'd be working there today. Workers had been there for days, they were exhausted, and not everyone had eaten breakfast. It was a little tense in the tent. They were very surprised when I announced that I was working with them. "We don't need any help," someone said. I just laughed and bossed my way in. "Oh yes, you do. I'm bringing peace and sunshine to this situation here!" I said. I'm not sure they knew what to think, but they let me stay. 

A fresh perspective really was helpful, and pretty soon everyone was laughing and sharing their stories with me. This was the most incredible group of people you can imagine, and I am humbled to have been in their presence. 

The Knights of Columbus are coordinating the volunteer registration, and they are the sweetest bunch of men of every age you will ever meet. Jen is a volunteer from Food Corp. She has put her own project on hold to take care of a greater need and has been working all week coordinating volunteers. Miss Susie has also been working for days. She's retired and volunteers quite a bit. She has a servant's heart and never stopped serving. 

Aaron is a young man I would adopt in an instant. He is with Team Rubicon and I will blog about them later. Suffice it to say, this young man's passion has touched my heart. He intends to change the world and he's doing a good job of it. When a woman was sobbing her eyes out over her unbelievable losses, I hugged her and prayed for her. Aaron was standing in line right next to me for his turn to hug her and offer help. His passion and kindness were breathtaking. When I saw this twenty-one year old student hug that sobbing woman, I thought to myself, "I want to partner with this young man. We CAN make a difference!" He, of course, doesn't need me to accomplish his mission in life, but I hope to somehow help him along his way. 

There were more wonderful volunteers than I can relate tonight. There will be more stories to come. There are more needs to meet. 

It was a tiring day. It was emotionally exhausting. It was, however, one of those great days you never forget. I saw people from all across this country come together for one purpose: to help those in need. With servant hearts that beat as one, that's exactly what we did. 

Why don't you join us next time? You will be so glad you did. 

The walking miracle

Somehow, I have digitally misplaced  the Friday Night with Friends post. It is saved to the blog file, but I can't find it there. While I'm retrieving it, I've decided to tell you about an experience I had today.

I had delayed much needed errands because of the storm.  However, because of the storm, I needed to run those errands to have supplies to take with me to Louisville tomorrow.  I'm meeting my family in Starkville and we are going as a group to help with the disaster relief effort. 

One of my stops was at Sam's, which was incredibly busy. I finally managed to find a self-check line with only two people in it. For some reason, the guy in front of me peeled off and ended up in a longer line. This was not at all sensible, as he was next in the line to check out. Regardless, he left me next in line, and I was grateful.  

The man checking out had some sort of problem with the machine and a very nice lady came to help. She ended up doing his self-check for him. As she did, she was talking to him and his wife. Someone said something about not being able to count on machines and the helpful, happy lady said, "Oh honey, there is no sense in putting yo' trust in a machine!  I'll tell you what. You best be putting yo' trust in God Himself. I can say that because I am a WALKING MIRACLE!" This lady was thrilled to be a WALKING MIRACLE and she wanted everyone to know. She was marvelous! 

I was interested to know what kind of miracle she was, and she was happy to share, as she self-checked me out, too. Two months ago, she had a heart attack, followed by a blood clot, followed by a clot in her lungs and so many other complications that I was just astonished. In the period of eight short weeks, she had experienced a heart attack, more complications than three or four people combined could've expected, recovered, and made it back to work. By the time she finished her story, I was speechless. From a medical standpoint, it was simply amazing. Her smiling face and her healthy appearance added support to her claim of WALKING MIRACLE. 

I recommend everyone going to Sam's in Tupelo just to meet this nice lady and hear her marvelous testimony. She is the best! This lady not only understands what God has done for her, and is grateful, but she also wants to be sure He gets ALL the credit. She's telling everyone she sees. 

The thing about walking miracles is that being saved by the mercy and grace of God makes us WALKING MIRACLES, too. Every one of us should be just as excited about what God has done in us as that sweet lady is about how He has healed her. We should be telling everyone we meet, and giving God every bit of the credit. 

Just in case you haven't heard me say this before, I am also one of those WALKING MIRACLES!  God saved and cleansed me from more sin than three or four people should have gotten into, and He is constantly having to work on me to keep Me straight. The good news is that you can put your trust in Him to do the same for you! 

How about it? Are there any more WALKING MIRACLES out there? 

Just Say the Word

Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." (Luke 7:6-8 NASB)

The only way to get the full flavor of the centurion's message to Jesus is to read it in it's entirety, rather than parse out the sections.  Let's set the scene first. Jesus had just finished a preaching trip and returned home to Capernaum. He was settling down, when some of the Jewish elders arrived and asked Him to go with them to a Roman centurion's house to heal a gravely ill servant. There were many things about this request that interested Jesus, so He headed toward the sick man. He was almost to the centurion's house when a group of the centurion's friends arrived with a new message. 

The centurion had been thinking about authority. He knew that, as a Roman officer, what he commanded was done. There was not a struggle about it. He said it, and it happened. The centurion could recognize a fellow officer by the air of authority in their manner and the results when they spoke. He saw that same authority in Jesus. When He gave a command, it was carried out. The centurion didn't necessarily understand it, but he could see it clearly, and he knew that all Jesus had to do was say the word of healing, and it would be done. 

The centurion also recognized that his own authority was not dependent upon his proximity to the place of implementation. He did not have to be in a spot for his orders to be carried out there. If Jesus had as much authority as the centurion, and he believe that He did, then proximity to the servant was not needed for healing. It was one of those "Ah ha!" moments, and very exciting. Immediately, the centurion sent a friend to Jesus. "Don't come," he said. "Just say the word and my servant will be healed." 

Was the centurion running a test to see if this was right? No, of course not. He highly valued his servant, so he was taking no chances. He was acting upon what he knew at the deepest point in his heart. He knew Jesus could do what was needed, and from watching Jesus heal all who came to Him, he knew He not only could heal his servant, but also that He would. 

I wonder if we come to Jesus with that certainty when we pray. Do we understand with such assurance that God not only hears our prayers but never fails to answer them?  If we did, perhaps we would be bolder in approaching Him with needs, both our own and the needs of those around us. With a word, just one word, He can do what needs to be done.  We serve a mighty God. He can handle anything that comes our way. 

Today, pray for certainty. Pray that we will know for certain that our God hears and answers our prayers. Pray, too, that He will speak a word of healing for all our loved ones and heal the place that keeps them from Him.  

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Link for last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/05/mustard-seeds.html

Mustard Seeds

There are piles of old stories, transcripts of old talks, and manuscripts of books not-yet-published in a very large stack next to my desk, mostly arranged in three-ring binders. I found this excerpt from a talk I gave in 2000. It seems pretty applicable today, as well. 

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Jesus told several stories about little things that meant a lot. Do you remember what He said about the mustard seed? The first story is that the Kjngdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed. It is a little bitty thing at first, but when it is planted, and nurtured, it grows and grows and grows. It becomes a tree with big branches and lots of leaves. Birds come to rest in the branches, build nests, and make their homes in it. 

I think what the story means is that, when we first meet Jesus, we make a little room for Him in our hearts.  The longer we know Him, the more room we make for Him, so that the "seed of faith" grows.  It grows enough to become a safe haven, a place of protection, comfort, and abiding. Maybe it means we bear fruit. Maybe it means that little helpless creatures, and lost helpless people, can find a safe place with us. 

There is another mustard seed story I really like. You, like me, may have forgotten what started the lesson on faith that day. A man had a son who was had seizures, and was very ill. He would often fall into the fire and other times fall into the water. The man took him to Jesus's disciples, but they couldn't cure him. The father was, needless to say, pretty upset. His hope was just about gone.

Finally, he spotted Jesus with His disciples, heading into a big crowd of people. He ran up to Jesus and fell on his knees, begging for mercy and healing for his son.  Jesus, of course, cured the boy at once.

Later, when no one was around or listening, the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't cure the boy. He told them it was because "of the littleness of their faith". He said that, if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could've told a mountain to move to a different place and it would have had to move. That mustard seed is mighty little. Mustard seed faith  must be a mighty little bit of faith, too, but Jesus said it can accomplish big things. 

How big is your faith? Are there any mountains you need to move? A mustard seed of faith is all you need. 

Jesus came anyway

"Now Jesus started on His way with them" (Luke 7:6a NASB)

The elders came to Jesus with skewed perspective, improper motives, and an appalling lack of concern for the servant who was gravely ill. Jesus recognized it all. What's truly wonderful is that He swept past all the chaff to get to the wheat of the matter. There was a man in need. 

Jesus did not criticize the elders for their perspective, their motives, or their lack of concern. He heard the need and responded to it with compassion and action. He started out to see the sick man. Actually, He started out with the elders to see the sick man. 

It's so encouraging to me to know that, when I bring a need to our Lord, wrapped in wrong motives and poor insight, He can cut through all my mess and get to the heart of the matter. In fact, He can cut through all my mess and respond to the need in the best possible way. 

Here's what's truly amazing: Jesus does not need me to "get it right" for Him to do so. His perfect intervention does not depend upon my perfect intercession. The centurion sent men who did not understand the depth of his faith nor the intent of his heart to request healing from Jesus for his servant. Their words to Him could not in any way be construed as an example of wonder-working intercession. Jesus started out to see the servant before the demonstration of faith on the part of the centurion and despite the wording of the elders. He simply responded to the asking, as awkward as it was. 

As we bring our loved ones to Jesus, take heart, dear ones. He cares more than we care. He loves more than we love. He does not need a "formula prayer" to accomplish redemption. He does not need us to pray perfectly or be perfect to accomplish redemption in the lives of those we love. Simply tell Him the need in your heart and know that He will respond. You can trust Him. 

Pray today that our Lord will see the need in the lives of our loved ones and bring healing to every sick and hurting place in their hearts. 

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The link to last might's post is here: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/04/finding-blessing.html 

Finding the blessing

It has been a difficult few days in our area.  The tornado took a toll on all of us. If we didn't have damage to our homes or lose electricity, we probably know someone who did. There has been tremendous grief and a mountain of worry.  

In the midst of the trouble, the wound patients have found it hard to be as compliant as usual with things like eating enough protein, staying off their foot, and keeping the dressing changed as often as ordered. They've missed appointments in an attempt to avoid bad weather. It's just been a jumble at our office trying to work around the storm warnings and the storm damage. 

That might not seem like a big deal, but I am very particular about compliance so the wounds will get well quickly. (I've heard I'm pretty demanding.) Today, one of the first patients I saw immediately began making apologies for not doing what they were supposed to have done. Much to my surprise, I just smiled and said, "Oh, that's okay. It's been a hard few days. I'm not fussing at anyone this week.  You get a pass. Just do better next week." The patient was speechless for a minute, then started smiling. "Thanks!" I talked about how the wound was doing and spent the rest of our time finding out about how the storm had affected them. 

After I'd let one person off so easily, I couldn't suddenly get tough again, so I've "given passes" all day. We've had enough hard times this week.  Who wants to add a demanding doctor to everything else?  As I talked with the patients about the storm, I was surprised by how it had affected them. Some were without power. A few had lost a loved one. Some had freezers filled with food in danger of spoiling. The interesting thing was that, though most people had some kind of trouble related to the storm, they all had a blessing of some kind for which they were grateful. 

One man was a child during the tornado of 1936. He was grateful that the clean up wasn't mule-driven this time around. After he described the work back then, I was too. He'd also lived through a tornado that killed his good white horse. He was very grateful that not one of his horses was killed this time round. 

Another man was grateful for his good insurance that would reimburse him for the food in the freezer if it spoils. Everyone was grateful that their trouble hadn't been worse. 

At the end of the day, I was telling someone about the "grace in the storm" project.  As I talked, I realized I had been dispensing grace all day, and I really liked it. So, here's some grace for you: 

Do better tomorrow. 

Apologize to The Lord for your failures and just do better tomorrow. 

Grace. 

It feels good, doesn't it? Now, it's your turn. Spread some grace around.  Have fun!

The Least of These (Luke 7:4,5)

When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue." (Luke 7:4, 5 NASB)

It's easy to lose sight of the individual when we focus on the "stuff" of life, isn't it?  That's what happened with the elders in this story. When they approached Jesus, they were asking Him to do what the centurion wanted. Their rationale was that he had been generous to the nation of Israel. Nothing in their conversation indicates a concern for the servant. The less important patient entered into their request only because of the centurion. 

There's nothing wrong with wanting to fulfill a request for those who are most prominent in society. The problem comes when we are so focused on the ones on the top of the social ladder that we fail to notice the ones on the bottom of the social ladder. Before God, we are all just sinners saved by the mercy and grace of God. It took equal mercy for God to pay our penalty for sin. We should distribute equal grace. 

In a time of great need, such as the one we are currently facing in our state, we need to be the ones looking for the need no one else has noticed. No one but Jesus. There will be many helping with the most obvious needs. Let's be the ones who look for the need only Jesus has seen. He cares for every single one. We should, too.  

Pray today that our hearts would be filled with gratitude for the care God has lavished on us and filled with compassion for those who need His love. Pray, too, that our compassion will spur us to action and seeing our good works will bring glory to God and point the way to Him for those we love the most. 

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Here's the link for last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/04/tupelo-tornado-seeking-to-save.html

Tupelo Tornado: Seeking to Save

Needless to say, the tornado yesterday is still uppermost in my mind. There have been countless stories of grace in the midst of the storm, and I hope to hear every single one before I'm done. The story tonight is one from my office. I'm still astounded. 

Our office was right in the path of the storm. It crossed over us. We heard it overhead, we were spared, and we are still incredibly grateful. 

I waited out the storm in the biohazard room of our office with four of our nurses. When we finally got the all-clear, we rose from the floor and, with shaky legs made our way out of the safe haven. As we began to gather our things to head home, Louise clearly was in no hurry to leave. "Are you ready to go?" someone asked her. "No," she said. "I'm waiting on Mark. He's on his way down here."  

Louise's husband, Mark, is a farmer just outside Blue Springs. He had been monitoring the storm and keeping in touch with Louise. When it was clear the tornado was coming our way, we headed into the safe room. What we didn't know was that Mark also realized the tornado was headed our way and that we were directly in it's path. He tried to call his sweet wife. No answer. He tried texting. No response. He tried it all again. You can well imagine his thoughts. 

This worried husband did the only thing that made sense to him at the time. He got in his truck and drove to get his wife. She was in danger and he was going to rescue her. No knight in shining armor was ever more brave. Mark arrived at the office within minutes of our leaving the safe room, which means he was driving directly toward an active tornado to seek for and save his wife. 

That, my friends, is real love in action. It is, in fact, the very love Christ has demonstrated toward us. He, too, came to seek and save those who were in mortal danger, perishing from the whirlwind of our own sinful choices. He, too, braved the fury of hell itself to save His bride, the church. 

It's amazing to me, but this gentle, kind man loves his wife EXACTLY like Christ loves the church. He was willing to risk everything to save her.  If you asked him, he would say, "It was no big deal.  I just couldn't get her and didn't know what was happening." He doesn't even see himself as a hero, but he is. If you ask me, Louise is the luckiest woman I know. She's married to a real-life knight in shining armor who would lay down his life to save her!

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I'm collecting stories of grace in the midst of the storm for a book to benefit storm victims. If you'd be willing to share your story of grace please message me or email it to graceinthestorm@gmail.com

A question of worth (Luke 7:4,5)

When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue." (Luke 7:4, 5 NASB)

Worthy. The word translated here as worthy (axios) is sometimes used to mean "having the weight of another thing of like value". In the eyes of the Jewish elders, the good deeds of the centurion had equal weight to the healing of the servant that they were requesting. What good deeds would be that weighty? The centurion loved Israel, presumably treating them kindly instead of as a conquering officer might. In addition, he had built them a synagogue, the ruins of which are still visible today. 

I've stood in the ruins of that synagogue, and it is beautiful. At the time of Jesus, when it was still a new building, it must have been astoundingly grand to the people in that simple little town. Even if the work was done by the soldiers under the command of the centurion, it would have been a tremendous expense. That synagogue was a "good deed", no doubt about it. 

When we compare Christ's righteousness and our unrighteousness, however, it becomes clear that none of us are worthy. In fact, Paul wrote that very thing. "As it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one;"(Romans 3:10 NASB) 

He was quoting from a passage in Psalms that sums up the whole question of worthiness quite nicely. 

"The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one." (Psalms 14:2, 3 NASB)

When God looks at us, not one among us has the understanding He desires for us. Not one of us is good. Not a single one of us. Not me. Not you. Not even the kind and generous centurion. 

When we understand this simple concept, we have taken the first step in understanding the tremendous mercy and grace with which our Lord has treated us. Understanding our own unworthiness should give us a heart filled with compassion for those who are as unworthy as we to receive the love of Christ, yet equally in need. 

Today, pray that we and our loved ones would grasp the vast difference between our unworthiness and Christ's great worth and be overwhelmed by the mercy and grace He has shown to us. 

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The link to last night's post is here: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/04/tornado-in-tupeloreport-from-safe-room.html

Tornado in Tupelo:report from the safe room

It was deadly silent a few minutes ago, but now we hear the blowing. It is insanely loud, and I don't really like this sound at all. 

It seems like half an eternity ago, but surely it was less, that I received an alert on my phone.  "Tornado warning in effect. Take shelter immediately."  I, who have never darkened the door of a storm shelter before, herded the four nurses here into the biohazard room.  I'm so very glad I did.

Now, I am enclosed in the safest place in our office building with four of our nurses. As we handed out blankets and settled ourselves on the floor, Cathy laughed and said, "We could sing Kumbaya..."  We all laughed with her, but there was already a song playing in my head. You might know it. 

"Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus. How I've proved you o'er and o'er. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus. Oh for grace to trust you more."

I don't know who wrote it at the moment, but it has turned this little safe room into a sacred place. 

I can see deep concern on the faces of these nurses I have grown to love so dearly, and maybe there is also a little fear. For lack of anything better to do, I began to tell about another time when I wasn't quite safe. 

As I talked about that refining fire that I faced as a 21 year old girl on the border of Honduras and El Salvador, gunfire clearly audible around me, I explained that it was a defining moment in my life. I found there was solid rock inside me and I understood who I was at the deepest point. I do not have to be afraid because I know whose I am. Life is not about my stuff. I don't know what I said, or if it helped them, but it has helped to settle me. 

We have laughed. We have prayed. We have text'd messages to those we love. We have taken phone calls from worried family members. I have started a blog post from our safe room. 

Just as I wrote a letter to my family with final words from that village so long ago, I stop to text my son something he can remember. Just in case. "I love you," I write. That's not enough. Just in case, I send another message. "I'm counting on you to be the man God created you to be."  I can't imagine what he thinks, but I do not know that we will leave this room alive. 

A few minutes ago, we heard an eerie knocking. I went to investigate and found the front door open and banging back and forth. It is as black as night outside.  The wind sucked the door out of my hand. It was a battle to close it, and I thought, "This is not good. Not good at all."  I've locked all but one door, and as I headed back to our makeshift shelter, I hoped that someone could find us if the tornado hit here. 

My sister has called to give up updates as she watches the weather reports. Her heart is broken as she recounts the path of the tornado through this big-hearted town. WTVA has sent their people to the safe room. They are in the path of the storm. They broadcast until the moment they didn't. Off the air. She doesn't know what has happened but that horridly loud sound, that deadly silence, the noise again make us think the worst. I'm afraid it is the worst. 

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At last, we emerge, a little shakily as we stand on legs that have been folded long enough to be numb. Cars are driving. The air is clear and still. Limbs and leaves are everywhere, but we are unharmed. 

Safe. We are safe. What a lovely little word. I haven't appreciated it nearly enough, but I do now. There's another word I grew to love today. Spared. We were spared, and, though I have no idea what destruction the tornado has left behind, I know that being spared will make a lifetime of difference. 

(There is extensive destruction. Reports are only now coming out. Prayers are needed. We do not yet know about injuries and deaths.) 

What is your motivation? (Luke 7:2-4)

And a centurion's slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this to him; (Luke 7:2-4 NASB)

The centurion was not Jewish. He was Gentile, Roman, and an outsider. His good deeds, however, had endeared him to the Jewish elders. He had a need that only the itenerate Jewish teacher could meet, and asked the elders to help him make the connection. Considering the way the elders in general scorned Jesus, it's a laughable request, until you realize that they actually approached Jesus asking for a miracle on the centurion's behalf. 

Nowhere in this passage are they described as disciples or as followers. They are described simply as Jewish elders, but there must have been a glimmer of faith or they would not have worded their request as they did.  When we look at the elders' request, it is apparent that they knew Jesus could heal the servant. There was no doubt about it. In fact, they recognized that only Jesus could meet the need. 

The question I have is why? Why were they willing to do what the centurion asked? Was it because he was part of the Roman occupying force and, thus, had the authority to compel them? Was it because he was generous with the people and had built their synagogue? Was their motivation gratitude for what the centurion had done or greed hoping for more?  Could they have been sincerely concerned for the servant and desiring only healing for him?

Why. It's a good question for us to answer as well. Why are we coming to Jesus? Is it just for what He can do for our loved ones or overwhelming gratitude for what He's already done. I have a friend who often prays, "Jesus, if you never do another thing for me, what you've already done is more than enough." 

Today, pray that our motivation for approaching Christ would be clear and that we would have purity of heart in seeking redemption for those we love. Be sure that, in your asking, you include thanksgiving for what He's already done. 

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Here's the link for last might's post:  

http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/04/storms-in-northeast-mississippi-maggie.html

 

Storms in Northeast Mississippi: Maggie battles fear

Maggie the Wonder Dog does not like storms. She doesn't mind a rainy day at all. Those are good for snuggling, and she loves snuggling. She does not like thunderstorms, booming thunder, or flashing lightening, though. She toughs it out, as any Wonder Dog would, but she sure doesn't like it. 

This afternoon, I've kept one eye on the weather. Bill the Magnificent was out of town and off this weekend, so I've had the farm to myself, as well as the feeding chores. 

I had planned to feed at 3:00. It was early for the horses and goats, but they like chow any time and I was hoping to beat the bad weather. Not long before 3:00, I headed out, stopping to put on my barn shoes. It wasn't raining, so I almost skipped my rain suit. Almost. At the last minute I donned the full suit, and I was really glad I did. 

Just as I stepped off the screened porch, it started to rain. By the time I got to the barn, the thunder and lightening had started. My adventures in the storm are fodder for another post, but I got everyone fed and headed back to the house. 

Mamie the apprentice wonder puppy was waiting for me at the door. She is very energetic, so she ran in circles and hopped around a bit. Maggie was nowhere to be found. I checked every room downstairs. No Maggie. I went upstairs. No Maggie. Where was she? I had no idea. 

Finally, I made the rounds again, calling her name. When I looked in my bedroom, I saw two dark eyes looking out from under a pillow on my bed. When there is a storm at night and she's afraid, I always let her on my bed and snuggle her until she is peaceful again. When the storm started today, Maggie had gone to the one place she can count on to find comfort in a storm. She was on my bed, underneath a mountain of pillows, waiting for me. No whimpering, no trembling, just still and waiting. I can't begin to tell you how glad she was to see me!

Maggie has pretty good sense about finding comfort in a storm, doesn't she? Storms can be scary, no matter what form they take. I'm not sure I've always done as well with the storms of life. When hard times come, it's easy to find comfort in the most convenient place. For some people, it's drugs or alcohol. For others, it's food. For me, it's work and worry. If we would just stop long enough to remember that verse we learned as children, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee" (Psalm 56:3) we would know exactly what to do and where to turn in our fear, in our storms. 

As the coming storms rage, the lightening flashes, and the thunder rolls, let them be a reminder of the only One who can be trusted with any storm you face, and put your trust in Him.