Jesus in My Storms

   
     I received a challenging word at a retreat last weekend. The speaker was talking about trusting God with our futures and surrendering our best made plans to Him. Wow. That spoke straight to this heart. Talk about pertinent for my junior year of high school: the crazy year, the busy year, the year of tests and SATs and ACTs and college visits. This year has been easier in some places than I expected, but it has also been trickier in many places than I could have ever anticipated. Letters from universities filled with degree plans crash over my head like waves...exhilarating until you realize with terror: you are out of control. My heart aches for stability. I want so badly to know the future, to be sure of what's next in my story as if I can send in my check of approval before life takes over.
     But it is in this place I find Jesus. When the waves crash over and I realize I'm no longer in control, I look up and see that He still is. It reminds me of the many stories in the Bible where we find Jesus with His disciples in the middle of different storms at sea. In these various stories, Jesus calms the waves, sleeps through a storm, and walks on water. (Seriously, these are all things He did. Check out Matthew 8:24-27, Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 4:35-41, Mark 6:45-56, Luke 8:22-25, or John 6:16-21 if you don't believe me.)
     Is it possible that in the most tumultuous, storm-like seasons of our lives we can find Jesus? We can see Him in the back of our boat, chilling and waiting for the storm to pass, even as we panic our little human hearts out. If Jesus calmed the waves, slept through a storm, and walked on the water for His disciples and friends in Bible times, why do we believe He won't do the same for us today?
     The funny thing is that when we don't trust and don't surrender our plans to God, we are putting more faith in our own plans, which are based on our own limited view of the circumstance, rather than His plans, crafted from a much fuller view of our lives from heaven. When you think about it, how silly and preposterous is that?
     Jesus is teaching me, slowly but surely, to find Him even in the midst of the storms. Looking back on the various storms I've walked through, I can see that perhaps it is in the storms that I have seen Him most clearly. My prayer is that for this season of life, when the road ahead is uncertain and I have no idea what the years to come will look anything like, I can trust in Him and His perfect plan. Unlike Jesus, I can't see the end of the storm. But He does--yes, He does--and that is a truly beautiful thing.

#OneLittleWord for 2017: Secure

There's something kinda magical about the start of a new year, right? Even though I know that when I woke up this morning, nothing truly changed except the date on my school papers, it's hard to shake the promise of a new year and a new start. This New Year's, I've decided to make my resolution to start blogging more regularly (well not really, but I definitely do want to blog more often!) :) Anyways, I don't usually do resolutions, and this year is no different, but I have decided to join in on picking #OneLittleWord for 2017. Instead of choosing a resolution or new practice to start, I will be focusing and meditating on this word for this new year.

I was really hesitant about choosing a word for this upcoming year (as I already have an extremely hard time making decisions and choosing a single word for my next 365 days seemed way too daunting), but I had some sweet sister friends of mine encourage me to do it (shoutout to the Soul Scripts Sisterhood--go check it out!). I've been mulling over several different words for the past few days, but none really felt right. I was starting to doubt if the Lord was ever gonna bring a word to my mind, but lo and behold, yesterday  morning He finally did: SECURE.

I've been in a season recently with a lot of ups and downs. That's pretty much just like any other season; I guess the difference here is I feel I've maybe hit one of those "dry seasons" people talk about in church. I've found my feelings are more often  determined by my circumstances than by the truth of the love I have in Jesus. This is tough because I know it's not where I want to be and certainly not where the Lord wants me to be. But yesterday, in one of those tough, not-good-feeling moments, I felt Him speak the word "secure" over me. It was like He was saying, "No matter what season you're in, Hope, you will be secure in me."
Oh, what a simple truth that is. So freeing and so true. But sometimes it's so hard to fully accept. I've seen that clearly in my own life and in my lack of understanding of God's unchanging love, my lack of trust in the Creator of the Universe. But again and again He proves me wrong. He shows me it is in His love I can always hope.
Another word I was reminded of that closely ties to secure is STEADFAST. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of steadfast includes the following:
-firmly fixed in place
-immovable
-not subject to change
-firm in belief, determination, or adherence
-loyal
My life is not steadfast, my circumstances are not steadfast, and I, myself, am anything but steadfast. But Jesus...He is. These are all characteristics that describe Him. Isn't that beautiful? Our God never changes--and neither does His love. He is steadfast, no matter what. He is God, no matter what. He is good, no matter what. He loves, no matter what. I want to cling to that this year. I want to trust and believe in my heart that I am secure because He is steadfast.
What will your word be for 2017? I encourage you to pray and listen for what God might have for you. We're less than 24 hours into the new year, and I have already watched the Lord as He is drawing me closer to Him through this one little word.
Praying that Jesus continues to show you more of your security in His steadfast love throughout this year and always.
Job 11:18-"You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety."
What a sweet prophecy for this year. 2017, we're ready for ya because we got Jesus. Bam. :)
Love always,
Hope