April 2021
April Showers It is spring, and that means rain! I love rain (in moderation of course)! A rainy day is nice every now and then, but too much is too much! We know that rain is a necessity, and it does cause beautiful things to come to life. I also like a good stormy day now and then. The power of thunder, intrigue of lightning, and on occasion, the beauty of a rainbow, fill me with awe. As spring arrives and brings with it the excitement of new life, it also fills some with anxiety and dread; Midwestern storms are unpredictable and destructive. As we talk of the spring season, I am reminded of the cycle of life. We are born (spring), we live (summer), we grow old (fall), and we die (winter). Each year brings something different. There are no real, true, consistent patterns upon which we may thoroughly depend. Some spring seasons are calm and uneventful, while others bring great destruction. The same may be said of the other seasons. Such is also true with life. We experienced this like never before as the pandemic arrived in 2020. For most of us, it brought a new perspective of how we live life. We’ve learned that we can not be so sure of what tomorrow may bring. Some of us now look at life through a lens of fear and anxiety. So, how do we weather the storms of life? I have learned to weather storms by remembering that I serve a big God that is ALWAYS in control. I don’t always feel like He is in control. I can not always see Him in the midst of my storm. As in any storm, I can’t always hear Him for the crashing of the winds, the chaos a storm brings, and the fear that may sometimes overwhelm me to the point of feeling lost or overtaken. I have learned that God thinks a good storm every now and then is for my good! I have yet to recognize any good transpiring in the midst of the storm, but after the storm passes, I can almost always see what God was doing in my life. There are still a few storms whose purposes I have yet to understand, but I choose to trust that God will reveal those purposes (if I need to know them) in His time. Maybe my storm was for someone else's good. Nevertheless, God has never failed me, and He will never fail you. After every storm, the sun appears, and there is a refreshing in the air—a new hope. Sometimes, we even experience the bonus of a rainbow— a reminder of His great promises! I desire to ride out every storm in perfect faith! I’m not there yet, but I’m trusting in the One Who causes even the wind and seas to obey Him (Matthew 8). Blessing! Kathy Taylor (Administrator )