God Is in Control

Photo credit: Free-images.com

My dear mother-in-law often said that God uses the weather to remind us that He’s in charge. Her words rang true on a recent camping trip that Ted and I took. On Day 1, the wind fought us setting up our tent. Two days later the heavens dropped so much rain and wind that many campsites flooded and tents came down (not ours). We found ourselves checking the forecast frequently on our phones. The evening of our last night of camping, they predicted rain and calm winds starting at 9:30. Then, it seemed as if God said, ‘Watch this.’ Shortly after 9:00 the sky turned black and dumped buckets of water on us. The wind screamed. The rain flew sideways as we fought to keep the tent upright. After a few minutes, Ted called out to me, “How long is this supposed to last?” I pulled my phone from my raincoat pocket and glanced at the radar. “About an hour.” What I didn’t tell him was that this storm was supposed to continue for an hour and then we’d get more, off and on, for several hours.

The oddest thing was that I felt calm. God, in His great mercy, had graced me with a sense of peace even during this storm. I prayed for His help; I knew we couldn’t fight this wind ourselves. I asked Him over and over again to keep us safe.

Then, about 20 minutes after it had started, the storm… stopped. 

When we dared to breathe, we and our neighbors made sure each other was OK. Then, knowing we were in for a long night, we lay on our cots to try to rest. During that calm I read the words, ‘The Lord hears me whenever I call Him’ and also ‘I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety’ (Psalm 4:1, 8). I kept repeating those phrases. Sleep didn’t come to me at once but the Lord did put words from hymns in my heart, traditional hymns like ‘Holy God we praise Thy name’ that spilled from my heart in profound, continuous, joyful thanks. Our God, Who controls the wind and the rain, Who commanded the storm to stop while the apostles’ boat tossed in the waves – He cut that storm short. 

I awoke to seagulls squawking, songbirds singing, and my beloved loons calling to one another. After that violent storm at 9 pm, there were no more storms and no more rain the rest of the night. 

Some might say these events are just part of nature. But God created nature and is still alive among us. Let us praise Him, thank Him for His goodness, and even sing joyful hymns to Him. He is in control. 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.” – Psalm 106:1 

Let all I do be with You, for You, and because of You.

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2025 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

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P.S.

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Go Deeper Than the Storm

 

Winds howling. Mountainous waves tossing yachts like toys. Rain flying sideways. We’ve seen it in movies, and some of us have experienced it first-hand. Storms on the water can be brutal.

Far below the storm, though, far below the surface of the water, there’s calm. The fish and other creatures lurking at the bottom may not even notice there’s turbulence up above.

We have storms in life, too: A terrifying diagnosis, an accident, or serious illness. Financial difficulties. Family and work troubles. We’ve all had our share of suffering. These challenges may come upon us like the storms on Lake Erie: intense and without warning. We’re blindsided, and that shock adds to our anxiety.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

– Matthew 11:28

Imagine Christ saying to you, “Go deeper than the storm. Go where there is peace. Rest there, and let yourself be enveloped in peace. You can’t stop the storm but you don’t have to stay in it, either. Let the storm rage, but don’t let it toss you or break you. Surround yourself with My peace and know that, even if you can’t control the storm, you can control whether you stay there and fight it or take shelter in the depths of My love, where you will find peace and calm.” 

What does it look like to ‘take shelter in the depths of His love’? First, sit still. Breathe deeply, and slow your racing mind. Thank God for creating you out of His love. Thank Him for all He has already provided for you. Remind yourself that He is omnipotent; ask Him to help you carry this heavy cross. Trust that He, because of His immense love for you, will answer your prayers in the way that provides you with your greatest good. Ask Him to fill you with His peace. Let go of the tension in your mind and body.

Then, ask Him to show you the next step to take. While you’re sitting still and also as you go about your day, pay attention to the ideas that come to mind. Do you need to consult your medical provider? What changes can you make to lessen your financial strain? What professional resources are available to you? Do you have loving friends who support you, who would be happy to help if you asked them to? 

You don’t have to carry the burdens by yourself. Let Christ lead you toward those people who have been blessed with specific skill sets to assist you. 

Storms are part of life. Take shelter in the depths of His love and trust Him to guide you through the turmoil.

“Say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

“Hold me close, Lord, and show me the way through this storm.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

When the Storms Rage

 

 “A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ The wind ceased and there was great calm.” –Mark 4:37-39

The wind is howling, rain is pelting the apostles, and waves are crashing over the sides of the boat. Anyone who has lived through this kind of nightmare can identify with the apostles’ terror. Yet through it all, Jesus is asleep in the stern. As the apostles struggle to stay afloat, they wake Him up and accuse Him of not caring that they’re all about to drown.

Jesus orders the wind to stop and it does. As miraculous as that is, we may wonder: Why did He allow the storm in the first place? Why didn’t He prevent it?

One answer is that He knew that their fear would bring them closer to Him; it would make them turn to Him for help. His stopping the storm let them witness His power, which strengthened their faith in Him, which made them want to follow Him more closely, which let them experience more of His love. Had the seas stayed calm, none of that would have happened, at least not there.

God wants you to experience His love, too. Is your boat being tossed around? Are you going through another storm right now? Do you feel far away from God, or think He’s sleeping through your ordeal? If so, call out to Him. Tell Him about your pain and your fears. Ask Him to guide you through them.

Look for Him, and see how He calms the storm through the people around you. If you’re preparing for a funeral, maybe friends are calling, texting, or bringing you meals to share in your sorrow and remind you that you’re not alone. If you’re suffering with an illness, feel His love expressed through the people caring for you. Maybe this downtime could be an opportunity to take care of yourself by slowing down, talking with Him more, listening to Him more, and letting Him remind you of His love for you. If you’re worried for someone else going through a storm, follow His promptings to reach out to them. You may be an answer to their prayers.  

Trust that God will be with you through every storm. Let your worry and fear inspire you to turn to Him for help. Trust Him to use His power to rescue you in one way or another. Let Him show you His love for you and strengthen you in body, mind, or spirit.

“Lord, help me to trust You’re with me when the storms are raging around me.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell    

If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...