Blessing in the Storm

Storms are a natural part of weather patterns. They tend to come with what is needed for the earth, like the rain that helps things grow. Somehow these important components for growth get agitated by other factors like wind and pressure. Yet, storms, as damaging as they can be, actually contain necessary pieces. So, for every torn off roof, damaged building, or missing livestock, there is the much needed rain.

I am in the middle of a storm...the eye of it, so it seems. There have been really bad days and not-as-bad days, but good days are minimal. Life is a whirlwind right now. My brother was involved in a terrible car accident whose ramifications have changed his life and lives of myself and my siblings forever. As we watch him cling to life, day in and day out, we cling to both God and each other.

In the midst of the whipping rain and powerful wind, our vision is skewed. Our footing is lost and we find ourselves stumbling from time to time. Yet, there are still glimpses of the blessing. Sounds oxymoronic, feels that way too, but, we are still blessed and we know it.

Sometimes, it gets hard to see the blessings because the storm is so strong. But in this time, I have a husband who holds it together and continues the routines of our children and our niece to allow my sister and I to have the time we need to tend to our brother. He picks up and drops off my other brother to give him more time with his twin and keep him from being late to work. I have friends who send simple text messages with no questions marks just this statement: I love you. I have family members that make sure that while the other 3 of us make our way back to work, my brother is rarely alone. He has been cared for by amazing nurses. The sun has even began to shine some...literally. And on gloomy days within the heart, the sun can make a noticeable difference.

Here's the truth...storms suck. They are damaging and dangerous and scary. They come unannounced with little to no warning. They strike heavy blows. They interrupt the normalcy of life. They are the worst. But if you've ever endured a life altering storm, then you know first-hand that 1) we are not in control of the storm's path nor its duration; 2) we have the choice to face the storm head on or let it win; 3) we have no power to endure it without the Most High.

That said, in this storm I am grateful for the blessings in God's people. How much worse would it be without them? I am grateful for the blessings in God's provision. How much harder would this be without it? I'm grateful for God's presence. Where would we be without Him? If you are in the eye of the storm, even when your footing is lost, when your sight is hazy, when your mind is racing, try your hardest to push past the pain, if only for a fleeting moment, to notice your blessings. Is it easy? Hell no. Is it practical? Nah. Is it possible? Barely. But God promised to NEVER leave us nor foresake us, so sometimes the hardest fight is simply to believe that. What better evidence than a blessing in the midst of a storm, no matter how seemingly small? Hold on. Fight hard. Endure. Believe. Persist. Be Blessed XOXO