What Rainy Days Have Taught Me

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with 

silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."

Langston Hughes

First of all, my thoughts and prayers are with those in Mexico and Texas impacted by Hurricane Patricia. 

Because the weather here is fairly consistent without any extreme changes in temperature, I never bother to check the forecast. I typically dread rainy, cloudy, or otherwise overcast days; but lately I've found that I don't seem to mind when the clouds, the wind, and the rain come. Aside from wanting to curl up with a good book or a classic movie along with a glass of wine, I've learned a few lessons along the way.

Embrace the storm. The rain, no matter how hard or softly it falls, always has a healing, cleansing effect. If that downpour comes in the form of tears, allow it to have its way, praising the One who controls the wind, the rain, and the waves.

Photo by Sermon Spice

Storms aren't meant to last. The sun will come out again. In the meantime, sing, play, and dance in the rain.

Singin' in the Rain, 1952 MGM 

There is always a rainbow (or two) after every storm. There will always be storms in life. Sometimes it's just a drizzle. Other times it may feel as if we've been swept away by a monsoon; but the appearance of rainbows reminds us that God is always with us.

Photo by jetzworld

"When thous passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, 

they shall not overflow thee." 

Isaiah 43:2

Sitting at His feet,

Valarie

When You Just Can't Let It Go

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 

even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

I was sitting outdoors enjoying a perfect autumn afternoon. There was gentle breeze blowing through the trees leaving in its wake that peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). My neighbor, who is not a football fan, was watching the Seattle Seahawks play the Cincinnati Bengals, a game which they lost in overtime 27-24. 

Why, you might be asking, if he's not a football fan, would he show such interest in this game?

As it turns out, his great-niece and her husband are both Seahawks fan. Over the course of time, their relationship broke down leaving him hurt. That hurt eventually turned into anger and bitterness.

The average football game lasts three hours. Given this game went into overtime, I couldn't help but think of how much time and energy he wasted out of bitterness and unforgiveness. It takes a lot more energy to hold onto to unforgiveness than it does to forgive because forgiveness is about releasing. Pastor Jimmy Evans once said that when you hold onto unforgivenss, you are forever attached emotionally to that event. 

I remember a story Oprah Winfrey once told about the day she was taught a lesson about unforgiveness. She had been withholding forgiveness from someone who had offended her. One day, she spotted this person on Michigan Avenue in Chicago going into one of the really nice stores, happy as a lark. In that moment she realized that they didn't care one bit that she had been holding a grudge against them. 

I don't know the reason for the breakdown in the relationship between my neighbor and his great-niece. Part of forgiveness, as Iyanla VanZant put it, is giving up the hope of what could've been. There will probably be a lot of "could've beens" that he will have to let go of. The greater tragedy would be for him to never experience the healing that would come from turning the situation over to God regardless of the outcome.

Sitting at His feet,
Valarie

Terms & Conditions

Photo courtesy of Flickr

As I been forgiven much in my life, there has also been much that I've had to forgive. Over the summer I recalled a painful incident from my childhood which still stung as though it happened yesterday. When I addressed it and found a way to forgive, one very difficult yet important lesson came out of it. In order to forgive, I had to take "me" out of the picture. Forgiveness was impossible as long as I focused on the pain and the offenders. When I allowed the offense to be less about me, healing and forgiveness were inevitable.

We often withhold forgiveness because we believe that by offering forgiveness, we're letting the offender off the hook. NEWSFLASH!!! They were already let off the hook when their sins along with your and mine were nailed to the cross.

When someone offends us, the pain can sometimes cut so deep that we will only extend forgiveness on our terms. We wait for the offender to come to us asking or even begging for forgiveness; but as we see in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), the father didn't wait for his son to come to him asking for forgiveness. The only term he offered for forgiveness was love (Luke 15:20).

The amazing thing about forgiveness is that when God forgives us, He blots out the offense as though it never happened. Words cannot describe how awesome it feels to not only receive this kind of grace but to extend it to others as well. There is no offense so great or pain from that offense so great that His love, mercy, and grace cannot cover. (1 Peter 4:8)

Sitting at His feet,
Valarie

The Power of Surrender

"No life is more secure than a life surrendered to God." Our Daily Bread

Over the course of summer I made a conscious effort to live more in the moment instead of always focusing on the outcome. Too often we treat life as though it were a highlight reel of coming attractions or an episode of our favorite tv show with a preview of what's to come instead of trusting an unknown future to a known God. (Corrie Ten Boom).  

About two years ago I found the Morning Prayer of the Optina Elders tucked away in my Bible. I've started my day with it ever since then. In recent months this prayer has become more of a prayer of surrender for me than anything else. When I'm intentional about surrendering my will to God I can live moment to moment knowing that His grace is sufficient for whatever I may face. 

The Morning Prayer of the Last Optina Elders

O Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings to me with spiritual tranquility. Grant that I may fully surrender myself to Thy holy will. 

At every hour of this day, direct and support me in all things. Whatsoever news may reach me in the course of the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and the firm conviction that all is subject to Thy holy Will.

Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down from Thee.

Grant that I may deal straightforwardly and wisely with every member of my family, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone. 

O Lord, grant me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events that take place during it. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive, and to love. Amen.

Sitting at His feet,
Valarie

Wired for Worship

Photo by Mary Ann Morgan

"And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him...make us gods, which shall go before us..."

Exodus 32:1

How often are we like the children of Israel? When God doesn't show up in the timing or manner that we expect, how quick are we to chase after and worship other gods? We listen and we watch for a loud clap of thunder when He often shows up in that still, small voice.

When we praise and worship the one, true God, we invite His presence into our lives. God inhabits the praise of His people! No earthly worship experience will give you the joy and the peace you get when you worship God.

He may not show up when you want Him to but He's always on time! Until He does, keep praising and worshiping Him because He alone is worthy!

Sitting at His feet,
Valarie

When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan

Photo by Beckaroonie

I was travelling from Santa Fe to Taos, New Mexico. There's a particularly scenic stretch of highway with a very steep mountain slope on one side. A mesh-like fence had been erected at the base of this slope. A friend explained to me that some years before a man and his wife were driving to Taos along that same stretch of highway when a rock came crashing through the passenger side window inuring the wife. She was left permanently disabled. Her husband, who owned a successful plumbing business, was forced to retire in order to care to for her. 

We've all heard the saying, "Tomorrow is not a guarantee". In truth, how likely are we to trust God with our tomorrows which can neither be seen nor felt? How likely are we to trust Him when life doesn't go according to plan? Can we trust Him when the career that we banked our future on ends suddenly due to injury? Can we trust him when that much anticipated job offer never comes through?

Can we trust him when we hear the words Autism or Down syndrome?

Let's face it. Uncertainty is a scary, uncomfortable feeling; but we really can trust an unknown future to a known God (Corrie Ten Boom). He who created the sun, the moon, and the stars hold all of our yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows in the palm of His hand.

Sitting at His feet,
Valarie

Rest

Photo by Indy Kethdy

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

Rest has been a recurring theme for me this week. When we think of rest we usually think of it in terms of physical rest but there's also the much needed rest for our souls. 

Over the course of summer I found myself going through an unusually difficult time. While I experienced the peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7), there came a point during the month of August where I began to feel as if my brain had been kicked into overdrive. I couldn't wait to turn the page to September because I knew that with crisp temperatures and changing colors, there would also be change in the seasons of life as well. 

As I flipped the page on my (in)courage perpetual calendar this morning, I was struck by this passage from Angie Smith:

"I'm going to give myself permission to rest today. 

To soak in all that Jesus has set in front of me, without allowing myself to wonder

what He hasn't."

Christ never promised that there wouldn't be days without adversity; but when we acknowledge the sovereignty of God over every situation, we can find peace in the midst of any storm.

Sitting at His feet,
Valarie