Peace in the Storm

I was reviewing my daily FB “memories” yesterday and I ran across this post from eight years ago:
“Sitting in my hall bathroom -- no windows or outside walls, following the warnings of the newscasters -- surrounded by blankets and pillows -- waiting out the tornado warnings and thanking God that I'm sheltered in His arms and knowing Jesus is on board my ship! Peace.....be still!”

Yes, I’ve been there – right alongside those of you who are weathering the storms where you are today. After all – we lived in tornado alley for many years. We witnessed many tornadoes, as well as the aftermath. We watched our barn roof be taken off, trees being ripped apart, and damage to our home that backed up to Lake Keystone -- the path of the tornado. We took to our under-the-stairs closet and prayed for safety each time when the winds were at ferocious velocity. Yes, it was scary.

Also at Lake Keystone, a tornado brought devastation to our International Faith Bible College. Dad, the president of the college, and Mom heard the reports -- they were in the line of the monster twister. They made their way to the commercial shower stalls. The twister hit strong and almost leveled the entire building, save the area where Mom and Dad were standing and praying for God to be their refuge and strength. They came out without a scratch. They knew where to go in the time of trouble – to a central area in the building AND to God.

In reality, there seems to be no certainty in anything, anywhere, EXCEPT that our God is stable, secure, and is our ANCHOR that holds in spite of storms, conflicts and any other force that comes against us. We have the choice to cave and yield to the chaos and prevailing winds and storms of our life or we can take the storm by a conquering, overcoming spirit through Christ Jesus. "We are more than conquerors." (Romans 8:37). We've been notified that WE WIN and "Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world," (1 John 4:4) We can take the offensive position against the enemy of our souls instead of cowering down to his tactics that try to paralyze us with fear of what the storms can do to us. We can find peace in the midst of the storm by trusting in God's faithfulness.

Sincerely, our thoughts and prayers go out to those in harm’s way today. Our awareness of hurting people gets stronger in times like this and we realize the need and urgency to pray for their peace, comfort, and resilience. We know that homes can be rebuilt. Healing will come and life will carry on once again as they place their trust in the Prince of Peace, Who brings peace and comfort and joy once again. We will all carry on -- and we'll even find the beauty that is found, even in tragedy.

Maybe life seems overwhelming to you today. I've been there. Each time I was there, I found my answers in the One Who is our Solid Rock. I came to realize that the overwhelming circumstances were ultimately for my good because they drew me to my Source of all answers and my Solid Rock. I urge you to go to Him today. In Jesus' words to the tremendous storm when the disciples were reeling in fear and despair, we pray He speaks to the storms in our lives today: "Peace, be still". In the meantime, let's praise Him in the storm!

God is Our Very Present Help in Trouble

I read that a tornado battered southern Mississippi last weekend and ripped apart homes, classrooms and buildings at William Carey University in Hattiesburg. Staff members from the university spoke with CNN and explained that while sifting through the damage, they discovered an open Bible on the pulpit of the otherwise-badly damaged campus church. An adjunct art instructor at the private Christian college said, “No building was left untouched, and many appear to be total losses. Tornadoes can be frightfully destructive events, yet the Bible lay perfectly untouched and opened to Psalm 46, which reads, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The story has since gone viral, boosting campus morale and inspiring awe across the nation.

That story made me recall the tornado that brought devastation to our International Faith Bible College 26+ years ago at Lake Keystone, OK. They heard the reports that they were in the line of the monster twister, so Dad and Mom (Dad was the President of the Bible College and they had an apartment in the West wing of the complex), made their way to the commercial showers and stalls in the middle of the building. The twister hit strong and almost leveled the entire one-story building, save the area where Mom and Dad were standing in the commercial shower, praying for God to be their refuge and strength, knowing He is a very present help in trouble. It seemed the tornado skipped right over the area they were in. They came out without a scratch. I called Mom yesterday and we talked about that day. I asked her if there were any specific items that she remembered in the debris. She remembered a hymnal that was perfectly fine, except that it had been shot into a wall in the sanctuary. It was opened to the song, “It is Truly Wonderful What the Lord Has Done”. LOL! That 1897 song written by Barney Warren had words like these in it:
He keeps me every moment by trusting in His grace;
He brings me through affliction. He leaves me not alone;
He’s with me in temptation. He keeps me for His own.
He prospers and protects me. His love I do enjoy.

Mom and Dad knew where to go in the time of trouble – to a centered room in the building AND to their God who was their refuge and strength.

In reality, there seems to be no certainty in anything, anywhere, EXCEPT that our God is stable, secure, and is our ANCHOR that holds in spite of storms, conflicts and any other force that comes against us. Bottom line. We don't need to fear. God is our rock, our refuge, our shelter in the time of any kind of storm.

It's time to rise above the storms of life and come back to our CENTER and find our peace in Him. Our peace is an incredible testimony in hard times and will help those around us to find Him as their Prince of Peace. He wants to make Himself known in the middle of the present shaking.

Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

BIG Moving Day! An EPIC Adventure Awaits Me!

So, this is my big moving day -- well, at least my "stuff's" moving day! The movers will be here in an hour or so and my earthly belongings will be headed to Texas, from whence I came from. It's time for an EPIC adventure! I'll still be hanging around here in Tulsa until after November 6th, so I've packed up my "portable office" -- printer, computer and supplies, my clothes and necessities and taking over to a friend's home just around the corner from my home. I'll be moving in stages.....first the furniture and furnishings going to Frisco in storage, and later I'll meet up with it all. Who knew my life would have this turn of events? Oh, I know. God did. He must have had this up His sovereign sleeve since the beginning of "my time". Now, I just need to get this adventure started!

It was 1971 when the little Ronald Wuerch Family aka Ron, Donna, Ryan and Staci, moved to Lake Keystone to start a Bible College. Ron's dad and his close friend, Dr. Charles Duncombe, from England, had the vision to do something really outrageous for God -- train people to be devoted, well-trained followers of Christ who desired to be used by God to spread the gospel around the world. Dad found the building (a former nightclub) and turned it into offices, class rooms, a sanctuary, prayer room, and meeting rooms. International Faith Bible College. How's that for making something beautiful out of what the enemy once used for his kingdom?

We started out living in that building -- the offices would be our bedrooms and the kids would bath in the commercial kitchen's huge sinks! Cleveland, OK was where our kids' elementary alma mater. We would eventually train and graduate many students to go into the highways and byways to share the love of Christ. Lots of stories of radical life changes during those years -- sending students to the mission fields and to other places of ministry.

Lots of water under the bridge -- from Keystone to Shawnee, OK, to Oklahoma City, to Winnipeg Canada and back to Tulsa until today. Now, full circle -- I will go back to Texas, where this girl's life began. That Canadian guy took me on many epic adventures in the 44 years we were married.

So, why stop now? Forty-five years since adventuring from Texas to Oklahoma and now from Oklahoma back to Texas. I'm turning the page in my life-book and starting a new chapter. I have no idea what the future will hold. But here's one sure thing I do know. God knows. He holds my future in the palms of His hands. I'm excited about what the future holds -- well, excitement with some trepidation. When the trepidation comes....I take a deep breath in and breathe out....."God's got this. He promised it in His Word," Jeremiah 29:11 "Oh the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future!" I'm at the starting gate....and I'm ready to run this new leg of my race with determination and with all-out great expectation! After all, I'm not running it alone. God is with me, for me, in me and already setting up divine appointments where I'll get to share His love, His light and His liberty with those who need it most. It will be an EPIC adventure! Get ready. Get set. GO!