When the Winds Blow

In Southern California we get Santa Ana winds that can gust up to 80 mph. They blew in on Sunday and brought destruction with them. Trees fell, roofs ripped off, fences went down and storage sheds collapsed. Facing winds and giants can be daunting. What do you do when the winds blow into your life unannounced?

You can choose to focus on what you've lost or what you have.

Part of our fence blew down but we have another gate that leads to our side yard so we can still keep our dog Suki in our back yard when we go to work. Our shed that we had painstakingly put together (maybe that was the problem!) is completely destroyed but I am grateful that God has blessed us with the things we put in it. A good part of our roof came off but we have insurance and they can put it back on. What we lost is insignificant in comparison to what we have. At this point we are not one of the 300,000 people that have been evacuated in San Diego due to the fires. Ours is not one of the 1,000 homes that has burned. We are safe, warm and have food in our refrigerator even if the power keeps going on and off.

How you face winds and giants is a matter of what you choose to focus on. When I think of the greatness of the winds that blow into my life or the giants that taunt me, I remind myself of the greatness of my God. He will respond faster than any insurance company to my cry for help.

Psalm 138:3 says, "You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul."
Verse 7 says "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; you will stretch Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand will save me."

In A Bend In The Road David Jeremiah says, "Every believer knows that when we walk through the valley of tears, God walks beside us; when we pass through the fire, He draws close to deflect the flames; when we wade through the flood, He is nearby to keep our heads up. In the storm or in the earthquake or in the midst of any disaster threatening to engulf us-that's the time we feel the presence of the Lord as we've never felt Him before. God is closest in the crises, surrounding us with His presence. He promised He would do it, and our Lord is always as good as His word."

When the winds blow into your life and you feel like you won't be able to stand, remind yourself of what you have, not what you have lost. Praise him in the middle of the storm. It is your strength to face it.

Tomorrow I am supposed to leave for North Carolina for a 3 day nutrition seminar at the headquarters of Hallelujah Acres. I am following the Hallelujah diet in my quest to beat this cancer. The word Hallelujah literally means "Praise God." I hope I will come back with new knowledge and fresh encouragement to continue on the path God has placed me on. I am very excited because my sister is meeting me at my layover in Houston and we are going together. I have not seen any of my family since I was diagnosed. Thank you to my sweet father for making it possible.

I am praying the fires will not head this direction so I can go with peace in my heart. It is also Sewell's birthday tomorrow and I have never been gone on that day. I am grateful for a husband who loves me and supports me unselfishly.

I am praying that as you read this you will stop and thank God for all the blessings you have even in the midst of the raging storm. You may lose everything you have but you can never be separated from the love of God.
Either we can fall to our knees and lament our circumstances or we can fall to our knees and praise God who is Lord over them.