All of us experience firestorms in our life. Fire destroys, but it can also sanctify.
Here are some lyrics to a song called "Eye of the Storm". The music video is below.
When the solid ground is falling out, from underneath my feet,
Between the black skies and my red eyes, I can barely see
And when I’m feeling like I’ve let down by my friends and my family, I can hear the rain reminding me
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm
When my hopes and dreams are far from me, and I’m running out of faith
I see the future I pictured slowly fade away
And when the tears of pain and heartache are pouring down my face
I find my peace in Jesus' name
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm
When they let me go and I just don’t know how I’m gonna make ends meet
I did my best now I’d scared to death that we might lose everything
And when a sickness takes my child away, and there’s nothing I can do
My only hope is to trust You, I trust you Lord
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm
You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm
Here is the video.
Sidenote: Below are a few photos that I took this past week where I have felt peace in the middle of my own firestorms.
Beautiful post and beautiful pictures. I especially love the trees and the lake
ReplyDeleteIn 1988, over one million acres around Yellowstone burned, most of it Lodgepole Pines. In the aftermath, the forest floor was left charred and barren. Yet, this was a blessing in disguise. The pinecones of the Lodgepole are encased in a resin that holds the scales of the cones tightly closed, protecting the seeds. As the heat from a fire passes by, the resin melts and seeds are dispersed to the ground either from the tops of the trees or as the burnt trees crash to the ground. The heat from the passing fires does not penetrate more than a few centimeters into the earth, which allows the nutrients in the soil to quickly germinate the fallen seeds. A year after the fires in Yellowstone, new seedlings were growing in 95% of the burned areas, with ecologists estimating between 2,000 and 12,000 new seedlings per acre. Interestingly, there were some places where vegetation struggled to return….mostly where human fire-management techniques were used, such as bulldozing fire lines, which scraped away the nutrient-rich topsoil.
ReplyDeleteOur experiences can be the catalyst for burning off dross as well as unproductive, dysfunctional, or unhealthy growth patterns that choke us off from God’s presence. Without fire, seeds bringing new life would likely never be released. Regeneration can happen quickly when when we trust in the process God has provided. When we try to do it in our own way, we can be counter-productive and fail to move beyond the black char that is left behind. On the outside, the aftermath can look ugly, but below the surface there are forces at work with the ability to transform the landscapes of our lives. In essence, the fires that sweep through our lives can be a path to healthy regeneration and a blessing in disguise.
Thank you. Your words are encouraging, for we are all changing as we go through the fire and see the strength come through as we hold to the only anchor that will get us through the storm- Christ Jesus, the Only One. My prayer for you and your family: that you be given strength and hope to increase your faith sufficient to bring you through the storm. Love to you all and Love the song choice!
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