I Will Praise You in the Storm

In addition to being one of my favorite songs, the title is something that God seems to be particularly focused on teaching me for the last year or so.  Since a year ago August I have seen 2 friends come to Christ and one of them is no longer speaking to me.  My car(s) have broken down in dangerous and extreme ways some 4 or 5 times including one time when it miraculously healed itself.  My grandfather, who was probably the most Godly man I had in my life throughout my childhood, passed away unexpectedly.  I've gone through bouts of depression bad enough that I had to take a medical leave of absence from college 2 weeks before the end of the semester in order to salvage my standing.  That completely wiped out an entire semester and set me back a full year.  A couple times I have wondered if I would have enough money to buy my next meal let alone pay rent.  I have endured heartbreak, betrayal from my friends, experienced some of the deepest senses of failure I've had since coming to Christ 7 years ago.  I have cried more often in the last year then I can remember doing in the decade prior to it.

BUT, that is not the full story.  If it was and if I did not have Christ I do not know what I would have done.  The "old man" would never have been strong enough to endure all of that.  In the last year or so God has done me the honor of using me to bring 2 friends to Christ!  I know I already mentioned that but I am still amazed by it and prior to that I have never seen someone I know lay down their weapons and surrender to God.  I have found the most amazing church I know of, full to overflowing (literally) with men and women who know and love God.  I have grown exponentially in my relationship with Christ.  I gained an amazing brother in law (a miracle in its own right).  And on that note my sister got married!  God has placed me in the path of people who will literally argue with me about how I need to let them help me more.  I have been given so many blessings and many of them would not even be understood as such from the perspective of the world.  I can't see all of His plan but the little bits and pieces he chooses to show me are breathtaking.  Oh and all that crying I mentioned?  Half of it is actually because these days when I really sit down to take time to talk to God I am just so overwhelmed by his greatness and his love.  And as the title hints at, I am learning to turn my immediate reaction of dismay fear and anger at trials into true joy and thankfulness for the trial not despite it.  That one I'm still working on but I'm getting there.  I just need more practice.  And really the only way I or anyone else could ever do that is if we know that God is in control and uses everything for our good and His glory.  The road ahead is dark and treacherous but I say bring it on.  Until next time God Bless.

- David