They say a lot can happen in a year. I say they are right. One year ago we dropped this beauty off at basketball camp just like many parents do this time of year. On the very first day… on the very first jump shot she came down on her feet and felt a piercing pain. She knew something was wrong but was afraid to speak up and tell someone. She played all week on a double fracture to her back. She had to spend 12 weeks (3 months) in a back brace for 24 hours a day. She experienced  being a part of the team from the sidelines cheering on her teammates instead of being in the game. She had to learn how to see things from a new perspective. She had to learn how to sing in the middle of her storm.

When the storms of life come for you how do you handle the adversity? Do you keep your eyes focused on the raging sea and the whistling winds that continue to roar around you, or do you lift your eyes above the storm and lean in to the Maker of heaven and earth?

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:28-30

Do you know what happened to these merchants that were on the mighty waters right before they cried out to Him? Their courage melted away. They were at their wits’ end. (Psalm 107:26-27) Isn’t it funny how we have to come to the end of ourselves before we will look up and cry out for help. Some of you are in the middle of some pretty big storms. You’re still fighting against the raging sea hoping it will succumb to your ways. It’s important for us to remember that even the wind and the waves obey Him. He is the only one that can calm our storms.

One of the ways we helped our girl through her storm was we found ways to praise Him. We wrote down things that we were thankful for, and we kept singing. I will never forget coming home from her MRI after learning about her fracture. I crawled in bed with her and helped wipe away her tears that came down her cheek while we listened to a song that one of my friends had sent to help us keep our eyes on Jesus.

It was hard. It wasn’t easy to sing, but as the words sank into our heart we began to be filled with hope again. We helped her to take one day at a time as it came and soon 1 week became 2 and then 4 and before she knew it she had sang her way through her storm. The Lord calmed it to a whisper. She has been healed!

We dropped her off yesterday at camp again, you can visibly see her beaming smile. She was not scared to go. She is confident in the one who goes before her.

I hope this encourages you to SING! I hope you sing a little louder and find ways to give him PRAISE in the middle of your storms. I heard this song for the first time last weekend at the Bethel Heaven Come Conference. I cannot get over the words. They are life giving, chain breaking, hope restoring words! Listen to them. Raise a Hallelujah! He is worthy of our PRAISE!

I’m going to sing in the middle of the storm
Louder and Louder you’re going to hear my praises ROAR
Up from the ashes hope will ARISE
Death is defeated
The King IS ALIVE

I RAISE A HALLELUJAH!