He is Our Storm Chaser

Most of my posts come from my own personal life experiences with the sincere hope that what I share will encourage and even open your eyes to our great Storm Chaser. I learned some very difficult lessons the hard way so my goal is to pass along the wisdom from those lessons to give you shortcuts to your prayers being answered and your faith increased.

It's our human nature to have the mindset: "I've got to figure this out on my own!" Many times, seeking God for the answer is the last thing we do to escape our storms. "I've tried everything else. I might as well, as a last resort ask God for help! Instead of asking "God, can't you see how great my storms are", we should be saying "Storms, can't you see how big my God is?"

The disciples passed their lessons learned onto us. We can learn a lot from their mistakes if we would not go the way of their lack of faith. They knew Jesus was on land and they discounted that He was the authentic, unparalleled STORM CHASER and PEACE MAKER. They toiled and feared, but Christ was praying on the shore for them. He saw the storm come up. HE SAW. He knew. And He sees and knows the storms we're going through. They are no surprise to Him. In fact, they are part of His plan to build our faith and trust in Him more. He is hearing our prayers in the midst of OUR storms and He will carry us safely to the other side.

We can know this: There is no difficulty in life that is stronger than Jesus. We can face our difficult times with courage because He promised to ALWAYS be with us! I love knowing that His peace is ours in the midst of our storms....and how reassuring to know that right behind this storm is a rainbow of blessing! He promised it, and I've come to count on it! Since we know our circumstances are no surprise to Him, let’s surprise Him with our trust in Him – in all circumstances and in all seasons.

The calm and quiet nature of Christ is what calms the storms in our life and in others. By sharing the presence of Christ within us, we introduce the nature of Christ. He is our Storm Chaser. He pursues us to let us know that we can trust Him. He calms our storms when we ask Him.

Dear Lord, we come to you and ask you to increase our faith. We acknowledge that one of the best ways to grow in faith is to experience storms in our life. For only in those times, can we exercise and experience trust, so that we may receive true peace and increase our confidence in You. By growing in our trust, we receive the calm and quiet nature of Your presence. May people be attracted to my soul that expresses calm in any and every situation. I invite you into my boat and ask you to take control. Amen.

We Met Professor Wisdom in the School of Hard Knocks!

I head to the shopping mall just around the corner and this 1964 Chevrolet Impala passes by me and parks close to my car. Though it sure needed a paint job, a flood of memories overtakes me. I tell the young couple a short-version of our story. I ask “Is this one a stick shift?” He replies “Yes, it is – a 3-speed!” More memories came then. BTW – there were no seat belts like these back then.

My boyfriend then, later my husband, saved up his money from working two jobs to buy his dream-come-true car. Well, it wasn’t exactly the one he wanted which would have been the Super Sport 2-door model, but the one he could afford was the 4-door, black interior, 3-speed stick shift like the one pictured here. I told the couple that I had learned to drive a stick shift while sitting in his lap. Actually, I have memories of almost sending us through the windshield from trying to shift from neutral to first to second to third and almost stripping the gears. Eventually, I got it down. And, notice the seats – they weren’t bucket seats. They were full across from door-to-door seats…..where I could snuggle in as close as possible to him. That is the way we were!

I’m smiling big as I type this. Oh, if that car could have talked about those two youngsters who spent way too much time in that car…..at Love Field Airport, watching the planes fly in late at night and watching the stars shine brightly from Kiest Park in South Dallas. Sure, that’s what we were doing…just spending time watching what was going on outside that car! I pause here to remember that young love we shared. Suddenly, I’m singing “Memories…..light the corners of my mind; misty water, colored memories; for the way we were

I'll never forget how smart my husband and I thought we were starting out in life -- so very young and inexperienced. His dad tried to counsel us and offer his sound advice and wisdom to us. But, no, we had to do things "our way" -- which we thought was the much "better way". Oh, how much time, effort, and money we could have saved ourselves had we heeded his wisdom. Oh, no! We just had to go to the School of Hard Knocks. Two years before we married in 1966, against his dad's recommendations for an automatic, Ron was determined to get that standard shift car -- and it just HAD to be a 1964 Chevy Impala. If only we had listened to Dad and his wisdom. And, we learned the "hard knocks" way in so many other ventures.

Many of us are still in the School of Hard Knocks, and we're still diligently pursuing that place of success and prosperity. I assure you -- we'll get to graduate, sooner rather than later, if we'll listen to, and apply, Professor Wisdom's words that are found in the Book of Proverbs. We'll find in her "Wisdom Class" that wisdom doesn’t come automatically. Rather, it’s tested and proven in day-to-day life.

Professor Wisdom or “Lady Wisdom” is a teacher who is more concerned about teaching us valuable lessons, and less concerned about being our friend. She teaches us that the way of wisdom is not always an easy road, but she does promise that if we hang in there, and keep heeding her advice, we'll get to a blessed life. Proverbs 4:5-7 “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of HER mouth. Forsake HER not, and SHE shall preserve you: LOVE HER, and SHE shall keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting -- get understanding.” Let's heed Professor Wisdom's advice, as well as to those brilliant and successful sages that have paved the way for us -- it is sure worth the investment!

School of Hard Knocks

Many of us went to, and even graduated from the School of Hard Knocks. I'll never forget how smart my husband and I thought we were starting out in life -- so very young and inexperienced. His dad tried to counsel us on so many things and offer his sound advice and wisdom to us. But, no, we had to do things "our way" -- which we thought was the much "better way". Oh, how much time, effort, and money we could have saved ourselves had we heeded his wisdom. Two years before we married, against his dad's recommendations for an automatic, Ron was determined to get a standard shift car -- and it just HAD to be a 1964 Chevy Super Sport Impala. I remember "Ronnie" trying to teach me to drive it -- and, oh my, I have memories of almost sending us through the windshield from trying to shift from neutral to first to second to third and almost stripping the gears. Eventually, I got it down. But we had many regrets about that car -- if only we'd listened. And, we learned the "hard knocks" way in so many other ventures.

Many of us are still in the School of Hard Knocks, and we're still diligently pursuing that place of success and prosperity. I assure you -- we'll get to graduate, sooner rather than later, if we'll listen to, and apply, Professor Wisdom's words that are found in the Book of Proverbs. We'll find in her "Wisdom Class" that wisdom doesn’t come automatically. Rather, it’s tested and proven in day-to-day life.

Professor Wisdom or “Lady Wisdom” is a teacher who is more concerned about teaching us valuable lessons, and less concerned about being our friend. She teaches us that the way of wisdom is not always an easy road, but she does promise that if we hang in there, and keep heeding her advice, we'll get to a blessed life. Proverbs 4:5-7 “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of HER mouth. Forsake HER not, and SHE shall preserve you: LOVE HER, and SHE shall keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting -- get understanding.” Let's heed Professor Wisdom's advice, as well as to those brilliant and successful sages that have paved the way for us -- it is sure worth the investment!