Some Storms You Cannot Flee From

Hurricanes, the largest of all storms, are familar to this South Louisiana native. Vivid are the memories of many hurricanes, at least the running from them. For the first ten years of my life I lived in the Mississippi delta town of Buras, Louisiana. Buras is located on the pennisula of Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Here the land mass is approximately one mile in width, the Mississippi River on the eastern side and the eroding marshland on the west.

In 1969, God allowed Hurricane Camile to destroy most of our little town. My childhood home was found about one mile from it's foundation in a canal. Life as I thought it would always be was now much different. My parents decided to rebuild in another town about fifty miles upriver from Buras.

Not every hurricane season was as eventful as the 1969 season. Some years we didn't have to pack up and flee from hurricanes at all. Some years we fled from hurricanes that veered away from us or from those that were not as severe as we thought they would be. When hurricanes were approaching we had ample time to evacuate. It was never fun leaving our home not knowing whether it would be there when we returned, but at least we knew that our lives and those that we loved would be safe from the destruction of the storm.

In South Louisiana tornadoes are not as common or powerful as in the Midwest where we live now, but a tornado did hit our home one February night in 1985. This tornado picked up our home and then dropped it as my husband and I hovered over our two young children. I had never experienced such fear as I did that night. My husband and I prayed like we had never prayed before making life changing decisions in split seconds. God spared our young family from injury. HE was beginning to teach me to trust Him even in the storm.

We were able to flee from hurricanes but not from the tornado in 1985. Likewise, we cannot flee from mantle cell lymphoma that suddenly stormed into our lives in December 2007. Nahum 1:3 reads, "...the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm". The winds began to blow and the seas became rough when Jesus and His disciples were in a boat. Jesus was calmly sleeping in the hinder part of the boat while the disciples "feared exceedingly". The disciples woke Jesus up and said unto him "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Jesus then got up and "rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still." The wind suddenly ceased and there was a "great calm". Jesus then asked the disciples, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" The disciples must not have really comprehended who Jesus really was. So often, I believe that we are no different than the disciples.

Shortly after my husband was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma our pastor talked to him from the pulpit as the congregation of First Baptist Church listened. Our pastor and friend told my husband that mantle cell lymphoma in his body was not a surprise to God. God knows the purpose behind it. I can't say that we have not been fearful at times. This is one problem that we cannot fix. This is one storm that we cannot flee from. Running to the ONE that can fix the problem and can calm the storm is our only hope. Psalms 107:28-30, "Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven." Our desired haven is peace in our heart that no matter what happens it will be alright because Jesus is with us.

Many songs and hymns have been a comfort to me in recent days. One such song is "Peace in the Midst of the Storm" by Stephen R. Adams (copyright 1978). Here are the words to this song:

When the world that I've been living in collapses at my feet
When my life is shattered and torn
Though I'm windswept and battered, I can cling to His cross
And find peace in the midst of the storm

There is peace in the midst of my storm-tossed life
Oh, there's an anchor, there's a rock to cast my faith upon.
Jesus rides in my vessel, so I'll fear no alarm
He gives me peace in the midst of my storm.

When in twenty-four hours, years of living are brought to moments
And when life's final picture is taking form
In the dark room of my suffering there's a light comes shining through
He gives me peace in the midst of my storm

For there is wonderful peace in the midst of my storm-tossed life
Oh, there's an anchor, there's a rock to cast my faith upon
Jesus rides in my vessel, so I'll fear no alarm
He gives me peace in the midst, perfect peace in the midst
Peace in the midst of my storm, peace in the midst of the storm