Oh my gosh.   What a beautiful storm Tucson got yesterday.  Rain, lightning, thunder, cool temperatures.   It was glorious.

And rather unexpected.  The Monsoon time is over, but what a much needed rain we received.

It's hard to understand how we can be so blessed, while Florida, Puerto Rico... were so challenged with a storm, and while Somalia is in a desperate drought leading to a famine.

Yes, I know, we are all in different kinds of areas of the world, but the contrasts are severe and hard to understand how some are faced with so much catastrophic conditions.

What to do?  Well, one thing is to pray.  Yesterday I gave thanks for the rains, and then I asked God to help us humans figure out ways to help those who face overwhelming rains and no rain. 

For me, it's important in my faith not to just be involved in prayer for my own needs, but for the needs of those around the world. 

I don't know, right now, what else to do... except to be sure that my spending of my resources is also spent in ways that help others, not just myself.  And I do that.

And what I found yesterday, in my own enjoyment of the storm, is that my heart and mind were open to the needs of others.  I think it's then that God helps us see more ways we can be of help to others.  I'm praying God leads me, my country, my thoughts and others' thoughts to helping in ways that will make a world of difference for those drenched in rain in Puerto Rico and Florida, and those in desperate need of rain in Somalia.

Somehow.. God is leading.  And in our prayers, we are more likely to discover how.
 

Peace in our journeys,

Pastor Steve Melde