Storm Stories

Black, ominous clouds billow and roll into view. Lightning and thunder crack the sky. A storm is on the way. 

I love storms. There is something about the majestic nature of a storm that cleans everything out and leaves behind an ozone-charged, earthy scent that I love. I love curling up with a good book, usually on my Kindle, and grabbing a cup of coffee to watch the rain. 

Outside the wind is raging, unsecured trash cans roll down the cull-de-sac and stray cats run for cover. Inside I am warm, dry, unmolested by the wind and completely safe. 

Sometimes, in the case of a Tropical Storm or a hurricane, the winds blow harder, the rain beats faster, and the floods begin. These are harder storms to weather. 

I remember for Hurricane Rita in 2005 we stayed to ride out the storm. The water rose so quickly that it was lapping at our door within an hour of landfall, and we lived only on the outer bands of the storm. 

I had a neighbor that was out of town before and during the storm. His favorite outdoor cat was due to have a liter so he asked me to keep an eye on her. In the height of the storm I remembered that cat, and so I donned a slicker, some rubber boots and a hat and went looking for her. 

She and her liter were near drowning. Hugging the door, which was the only semi-dry place left, she was fighting to protect her kits from the wind and rain. Right as I got to her, one of the kittens slid off the door step into the six inches of water below. I rescued every one of them, and brought them to my house to safety. 

That storm will forever be etched in my mind because it did not just blow over my house. I was out in it. Buffeted by rain, wind and hail, I waded through flood waters to save kittens. We weathered Hurricane Rita, which killed seven people, and were none the worse for wear, in fact, I believe I am a better person because of that storm. 

I have been talking about a physical storm, but what about those storms of life that only you see? The storms that come when you are not expecting it, and rock your world to the foundations are the hardest to bear. 

To weather the storms of life we have to remember three things. 

1. Prepare before the storm comes. Make sure that your foundation is sturdy. Luke 6:47-49

2. Do not blame God for the storm. It rains on the just and the unjust alike. Matt 5:45

3. When you are in the middle of it, wading in the flood, get your eyes on Jesus, and walk on the water. Matt 14:28-30

“Storm stories” are things we share with other people all the time. 

It is not whether or not you were in a storm; it is how you came through the storm that matters. That is the part of the story people want to hear. Testimonies are stories about the tests: when you were tried in some way and still came through. 

Have you got a “storm story” to share?