Storm App

September 4, 2018

Living in a hurricane prone area, we all know to keep up to date on the developing threats heading our way. Such as this morning, waking up to check the progress of this guy named Gordon, my weather app displayed these warnings.

Looking off my front porch this morning, the second pic shows our current state of weather. Such a beautiful morning. Clear skies, sun coming up and nothing gives a clue as to the impending change heading our way.

I think about how convenient it would be to be able to look at an app each morning and know what threats lay ahead in our day.

Right? Anyone agree?

Five years ago this morning, I was finishing packing my bags, heading to Pittsburgh and on to my family home to hang out with my mom for a week or so. She called me that morning so excited about my visit. Telling her I would see her late that night, we hung up and I finished packing.

Thirty minutes later, I received a phone call from my sister. 

Mom’s daycare van had an accident and mom was critically injured. 

Never in a million years did either of us ever dream our conversation earlier that day would be our last without her lying in a hospital bed.

Mom lived until September 20.

It’s been five years. 

There was no predicting the storm we all lived in during those sixteen days and in the time following.

So – how would we live differently if we could wake up each morning and check the app for the day?

Would our conversations be more meaningful? Would we hang up with our regrets or would we focus on healing broken relationships?

Living through so many storms, I have learned that it is important to prepare. Both for the hurricanes that come our way with warnings in front of them and for the unexpected ones that come with no warning.

Like the one that day with my mom.

God’s promises are the only way I have learned to prepare as best I can when I know a storm is coming. When I don’t know and I don’t have time to prepare, it might take me a few minutes to regroup and the panic sets in but my next reaction is to turn to God.

I can not do this life alone without Him. I can not even imagine tragedy without Him to lean on. 

Joshua 1:9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

1 Corinthians 10:13   No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ENDURE IT.

Isaiah 41:10  Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

There are literally hundreds of scriptures that show us how God stands for us, with us and when I can’t remember, I google. We can all google.

It sounds so crazy, but it is a tool we always have at our fingertips. Seriously. Google can be our app we rely on to provide the info we need to maneuver through life’s unexpected storms.

Begin making a list of scriptures, building an arsenal that you will use as the unexpected storms come. Most people living in hurricane areas have a box of extra batteries, canned food and water and a variety of other necessities. 

Scripture provides everything we need to face the storms of life.

Because one thing I know to be true – they are coming.

Here are two more scriptures I want to leave you with.

Philippians 4:19  God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:16  In all circumstances I live by faith in God and extinguish all the flaming darts (attacks) of the enemy.

“Father, God, we come to you. In our seasons of storms, in our seasons of unknown, our day to day struggles, in the minor and the major we come to You. Please God empower us with the courage to face every day with You first. May we remember whose we are and in that confidence, face life with a determination to be a witness to the world around us. Through our witness, may the world see You at work. We praise You in the storms and in the trials. We love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”