"I admire people who choose to shine even after all the storms they've been through."   Karen Salmansohn

That's not easy, especially when the storms keep coming, especially when the storm is a Category 5 hurricane, or an E10 Tornado, or .... just plain overwhelming.

The Monsoon storms teach me many lessons here in the desert.  They bring much-needed rain, but wow, they can bring it in a hurry.  And that hurry can bring flooding and damage to the desert.  But the desert heals, despite the sometimes devastating storms.  And new life emerges.

God doesn't always calm the storm like when Jesus was on the lake.  Sometimes the boat sinks, with us in it.  But life has a way of going on, new and eternal.

Karen's quote sounds beautiful, but it's hard to follow, and difficult to do.  We need to help each other through the storms, that's how we shine.  It isn't just something we do on our own; we all face the storms.  We all become a bit weathered.  We need to cheer each other on, guide each other through, pray with each other in the midst, and trust that something new will come.

Then, not just one shines, but all shine...
 

Peace in our journeys,

Pastor Steve Melde