A Raging River…

Do you ever wish you could rewind time and have a do-over in a conversation or meeting? Say something again with less emotion behind it? Not have the conversation at all? Take the high road instead of the rocky path you chose to walk on for that quick instance?

… me too

I learned a lesson yesterday.

I lost my God focus and let the tumultuous, crazy world around me seep into my soul. I let my busy week get the best of me and gradually by the end my early morning quiet time was a rushed frenzy to get out the door. I took it upon myself to care for the stresses of the week and let God take a break. So noble of me. I’m not even sure I stopped to pray yesterday morning. That is how crazy my week ended.

The culminating event was awesome! I spoke out at a meeting in a heated emotional way. While what I shared was reality and needed to be shared, the way in which I delivered my message was wrong. I know I hurt or offended a few people. In that moment it became not about the actual topic, but more of an emotion airing so to speak. Not my finest moment.

It’s spring in Spokane and the river is running high. As I photographed the raging river a few hours later it hit me. We are all feeling like a raging river… struggling to keep our heads above water and survive. We are all going to bat for those we love to do the same.

My realization has gone deeper. I’m not just feeling this on a professional level. I’m feeling it in all corners of my life… as are so many others. The waters are raging around us in regards to not only our professions but our health, our marriages, our relationships, our finances, our spiritual lives… the list goes on. It’s daunting and overwhelming when I think about it and begin to pray for my own life and that of those around me. In my family alone we have a loved one battling breast cancer and another living out her first year of marriage missing her recently deployed husband.

The waters are also raging across our globe. 370 families are awaiting the news of what really happened to their loved ones lost on a Boeing 777 flight. Russia and the Ukraine are about to go to war. Our troops are trying to tie up loose ends of a war going on far too long.

The waters are raging around us all in some form or fashion.

Stop… breathe… refocus.

While the waters may roar around us, we have a place of refuge to rest and regroup.

Grace. God extends His epic grace on us continually and sometimes we are so caught up in the wild waters around us that we don’t even notice.

No one chases grace… but grace chases everyone. ( words shared by a friend this morning)

Spring brings high waters and raging rivers, but it also brings the end to winter and a beginning to new life. Are we able to stop long enough to see past the raging river and see the new life around us?

My prayer for everyone who feels as if life is spinning out of control would be that we can all stop…receive His grace available… begin to breathe in the new life of spring and all that it has to offer. The waters will continue to rage around us. It’s how we let it affect us that matters. Do we choose to jump into the swell and work to keep our head about water or do we watch the raging river from afar and rest in His promises?