Huge waves...Faithful God!

Taken from Streams in the Desert for today:
"He gives quietness in the midst of the raging storm. As we sail the lake with Him, reaching deep water and far from land, suddenly, under the midnight sky, a mighty storm sweeps down. Earth and hell seem mobilized against us, and each wave threatens to overwhelm our boat. Then He rises from His sleep and rebukes the wind and the waves. He waves His hand, signaling the end of the raging tempest and the beginning of the restful calm. His voice is heard above the screaming of the wind through the ropes and rigging, and over the thrashing of the waves."Quiet! Be still!" (Mark 4:39). Can you not hear it? And instantly there is a great calm."

I woke up today and began to journal. I keep a prayer journal. There is something so incredibly awesome about writing my prayers, or typing them as I do, that I just love. I believe that we lift up so many prayers throughout our day that we often forget what we've prayed for. My prayer journal gives me the ability to go back and see how God has moved in my life and the life of my family and friends. I can see answered prayers and continue praying on the unanswered ones. When I see how He has answered prayer, I am reminded of His faithfulness and my faith gets stronger. Therefore, I am able to remain steadfast in prayer because I can see that my prayers are being answered according to His will and His timing, not mine, which gives me peace. I'm good with that. Sometimes I want to rush Him along, but I know I'm not alone there. As I write, I will quite often stop what I'm doing to write down a dream that comes back to my memory. As I wrote in my journal this morning, no dreams came to mind. I then began to read from my favorite devotional book, Streams in the Desert, and I just stared wide-eyed at the words on the page. I felt like I was reading my dream. My dream flooded back into my mind so I stopped reading the devotion and began to write my dream down before continuing to read the devotion.

I dreamt that I was in the ocean. There were some others with me but I don't recall who they were. We were headed out into the ocean in a small boat. I became extremely fearful that we were going out way too far. In my mind I was thinking that once I could no longer see where the ocean met the sand, we would be too far out and we would be lost. Then came the HUGE waves. They began crashing over my head, I would take a deep breath and let it go over me. They continued to come one after the other, and I was amazed that after each and every one, I managed to survive without drowning. It was actually easy, like Someone was helping me. I could have never survived those massive waves crashing over me without help. As I finished writing all of this down, I went back and began to read the devotion again. I was so amazed. God's presence was so strong. I felt as if I was reading my dream.

This week began with a very rough start. I had some unexpected waves roll into my life, but as usual, God was faithful. I didn't just survive, I actually thrived. The more that my faith is tested, the more it grows. When I have been tested time after time, and God has been faithful time after time, how can I not trust Him with everything? My emotions will take me on some wild rides but the Lord is unchanging. The bible says He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). No matter what this life may bring, He is with me. He comforts me. He stills my storms. As was mentioned in the devotion, He says, "Quiet, Be still!" and then there is calm. That calm is the peace that He has left us with....the peace I am so thankful for...

Mark 4:39
New King James Version (NKJV)
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

John 14:27
New King James Version (NKJV)
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.