I remember when I lived in Florida and I decided to go visit a friend up in New Jersey area. It just so happened that the one week I planned to go up happened to be the week of hurricane Irene was about to hit the north east. I decided I would go ahead and go. I ended up staying extra long due to the weather.
The night of the hurricane I was terrified. I grew up in Colorado and had never experienced a hurricane before in my life. As the rain fell and the wind increased outside my fear increased and my thoughts escalated. They went strait for the scenes I had seen on TV of hurricane Katrina. As my fear increased I was sure that death would come. I was sure that we would all be swept away to some uncertain doom.
The power went out and we took refuge in the basement. My friends and I sat and laughed and talked until they all fell asleep. I sat listening to the winds outside, I heard the rain pounding and I felt alone in the dark basement. I began to cry and pray to my Heavenly Father that I would not be swept away and that we would all be okay. I then decided to listen to some music, with hope that is would gear my brain from the storm. The first song that came on was "Abide with me it's even tide."
I thought of the words and the promise that Heavenly Father does love us and doesn't want us to be alone. I plead along with the words "Savior stay this night with." I felt a peace and calming come over me which told me that everything would be alright. I was able to fall asleep and when I woke in the morning everyone was alive. None of us were swept away, just a few puddles, branches and trees down.
As I thought about this story I thought of the crazy storms of life. We all experience them, some much worse than others. I also thought of the ways Heavenly Father sends us protection, but also how we have to take our own steps to be in a place of protection.
Heavenly Father gives us everything for our protection he gives us all the things to help us fend the storm, it's up to us if we want to take them. In my little story if I had chosen not to go inside the basement and instead chose to go swimming in the ocean out in the storm, there probably would have been a much different ending. How silly I would have been going out swimming in the storm? But how many times do we blatantly choose to swim alone out in the storm in the danger of the winds and rain?
I think of Jonah in the bible when he chose not to follow what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. He went swimming in the storm alone... Quite literally...
So I want you to think for just a moment if and how you are using the protection and the foundation your Heavenly Father has provided? He provides everything we need to weather the storm, no matter what, the storm will come, that we can know for sure. The way we choose to use the tools given and prepare will show the outcome.
I know that Heavenly Father has a plan and a way of preparation and protection for us. He has sent his son Jesus Christ to pave the way and to provide a safe foundation where we can take refuge. He has provided us the warnings and instruction from the scriptures and modern day prophets. He has restored his power to the earth, his priesthood authority to help light the way and to help us make special promises with him which help take us home. He has done all these things and so much more. All he asks is for us to use them. One way we use them is by keeping his commandments, not rules of bondage but rules of safety, happiness and freedom! When we break those commandments and step into the storm he has provided a way of repentance and forgiveness through his son Jesus Christ. It is so much safer and less of a risk of destruction if we will just choose to build up our places of safety and use those tools.
When our friend Jonah realized his mistake to not follow what God had commanded he was repentant and Heavenly Father prepared a way for his protection from the storm. A storm that he brought upon himself, one he could have avoided but because of his choice to not follow he found himself swimming in the storm. Then a stinky but safe repentance in the belly of a fish. We will find those moments and we will have our times in the fish. A good friend taught me that in a email sometime ago. Those times help us to become and to be better. What we choose to do after is entirely up to us.I hope you enjoy your day and do what you can to prepare for the storms you are in right now, or the ones ahead. They will come but there is a way of protection and not only a way of certain doom. Love you all and hope you have a magical day!
Very well spoken, Sister Egbert! I love the picture at the top of the page!! LOL! Also, love the font! A lot of love going on there!
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