“It is a Category 4 Hurricane, there will be massive destruction, this may be the worst storm northeast North Carolina has seen in decades!” Now, immediately when you hear news like this if you are living in the area the forecasters are predicting the catastrophic storm, your body tenses, you’re shocked, and your mindset goes directly into survival mode. How do I best prepare? What about my elderly relatives/community members? Where will my family and I be safe? How bad is it truly going to be? These are all honest, rationale questions most of us ask ourselves when faced with a force of nature that may affect us in ways we never imagined.
Many times in life, we face unexpected storms. It could be sudden loss of employment, a life-threatening medical condition of your child, loss of a loved one, an unexpected obstacle arising from where you do not know. Storms, challenges will come……..it is a part of life. Sometimes the storm can literally shake the very foundation in which you stand. Sometimes the storm seems to interrupt a well organized plan that you have been working on for months. Then sometimes the storm sends shock waves through the entire family causing the family to have no other alternative but to become closer and join forces together. Even in worst scenarios, the storm, can cause damaging ripples in a family that only divine intervention can mend.
How do you prepare for a storm? This can be difficult to answer because sometimes there is no or little time to prepare. The storm is just there........staring you right in your face! Just like with a natural storm such as a hurricane, you want to be safe, figure out the best way to weather the storm, protect those you love, and hope in the end all make it out intact. Storms of life can cause us to have to regroup, devise a plan to best go through the storm, and even rely on others for the moral/physical support we may desperately need to endure. Remember, reaching out to others you know who truly support you is okay, and most likely needed if you and your family are in a storm. Those that you trust can serve as a source of comfort, pray with you, assist you in devising strategies to tackle the storm, and be a shoulder you may need to lean on for guidance, strength, and love.
Things to remember when you are going through a storm in your life.........
(1) You do not have to go through the storm alone
(2) Use your resources to help you & if unsure of resources, ask for help from a trustworthy person who may have had a similar storm.
(3) Do not make hasty decisions without fully thinking it through.
(4) Lean on family members for support and love. (This can include church family, and those special adopted family members who are just like biological family members).
(5) Realize no matter how difficult the storm; there are others who have gone through similar experiences & have made it through.
(6) Take it step by step in handling the storm (It is impossible many times to accomplish everything in a day).
(7) If you do not know where to even begin in tackling the storm seek counsel (pastor, counselor, someone who has experienced the exact storm you are battling etc.)
Storms can be difficult. Storms can be messy. Storms can be challenging. Storms can completely change your plans, and transform your life. Yet, for many when you come out of a storm victoriously; you have become stronger, learned life lessons, have a new appreciation for things you may have taken for granted, and it broadens your perspective on life challenges. In the words of my grandmother, " I am so thankful storms do not last always." Even in difficult times........joy does return. The sun does shine again. Laughter does erupt maybe not initially.......but it comes just as gentle as a summer breeze. Most times..........if you sit for just a little while.....you look back & think----"How did I make it?" Yes, you made it........by grace, mercy........and ways you never imagined .....you made it!!!
Many blessings to you now and always
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