Stormy With 100% Chance Of Blessings

So, sitting at home enjoying the storms today has me thinking back to our recent family vacation. While on vacation, we experienced a storm nearly every day. For me, storms are best enjoyed at home, but over the years I’ve learned to appreciate them even when I am out in them. Many of the storms on our vacation were the type that you probably should pull your car to the shoulder for, but I guess you could say I was feeling stubborn. I was not about to let any storm ruin my vacation! Each time we encountered a storm, it made me focus more and enjoy the times after the storm more. Sometimes, these storms felt like they were being used to put a shadow or cloud over our whole trip, but we did not allow that to happen. Actually, it was more like God would not allow that to happen.

There were several times we as a family saw and/or felt God with us on our trip. He protected us, helped us have conversations that may not have happened at home, showed us his majestic artistry, and used others around us to speak to us. He was such a part of our trip through the whole thing and it was amazing! Now that we are home, we know He is here, but it hasn’t been the same. Not until the storms today (for me at least). God used the storm to talk to me. He reminded me how the storms that tried to slow us down and cast a shadow on the trip only made the events after the storm so much better. He also reminded me that the storms of life may not be visible to everyone else, but they can still cause damage and force you to focus more (not always in the right places). Yet just like not knowing when the storms that blow through are going to break up and leave behind beautiful rainbows, the struggles we go through in life have their course to run as well. God is with us through all the storms of life and has rainbows, fun activities, and an abundance of other surprises to bless us with if we just press through the dark times.

So, if you are struggling, feeling like you are about to drown in the storms raging around you, or you’ve just lost focus of God, He is there and knows what it is your feeling. Reach out to Him and He’ll help you through the storm even if you have lost focus of Him along the way. He has a blessing He wants you to experience and appreciate even more after the storm passes or at least lets up enough for you to see it better. God is there in all of the storms of life and while it may feel like the storm will rage on forever, know that no storm is too big for God. There is a blessing more beautiful than you can imagine waiting on the other side of your storm.

God,

Bless those that took the time to read what I wrote. For those in the middle of an especially difficult storm, shine a light that will guide them through the storm to you and the blessing you have in store for them. For all of us coming through the storms of life, show us how to clean up the broken pieces, repair the parts that can be repaired, and heal the parts that need healing. Bring those that can help us through these times alongside us to speak your words in a way that we can hear because without you and others next to us God, storms can overpower us and tear us apart. We need you with us to keep us safe in the most trying times and difficult storms of life. Be with all those that are battling through the storms of life no matter their size or strength. Also, allow us to see the blessings you have given us that may not always seem like one at the time.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

P.S.

On the Spinraza front, we have had some minor setbacks due to some health issues. We hope to push into the next phase of this journey soon, but we are working on God's time. We know His timing is the best and it can be seen in the fact that the doctors and specialists are finding ways to improve the procedure with each new person. We are learning to wait patiently and lean into God during this time. We will continue to pray for those in the program to keep improving the process and making the next phase easier for Chris with each new discovery. Also, for them to grow stronger as they persevere in their journey.