What To Do With a Whirlwind

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"Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
   your lightning lit up the world;
   the earth trembled and quaked."  Psalm 77:18 NIV

That sounds terrifying!!  With a storm like that I think I would want to run for cover and find a place to get out of the wild winds!  Run!  Escape!  Get away!!!

The very next words are these:

"Your path led through the sea,
   your way through the mighty waters,
   though your footprints were not seen."  Psalm 77:19 NIV

The storm the psalmist was describing in verse 18 was the storm God stirred up to open the Red Sea to deliver His people to freedom!  In spite of all that blustering going on, when the people of God saw His storm blowing up a rescue for them, they must have jumped for joy and leaped into action, flags flying, banners raised, excited to walk through on dry ground, following those unseen footprints!!  

What about the pursuing Egyptians?  What was in that storm for them?  When proud Pharaoh ordered his troops to pursue the escaping Israelites, God stopped holding the water back and the flood poured over the Egyptian army, swallowing them completely.  For them the storm was destruction.

The same storm.

Different outcomes!

Awe and joy and deliverance for the faith walkers.

Fear and woe and destruction for the pride walkers.

Could it be that the current worldwide storm we're witnessing is such a storm?  The financial and political upheaval that has the entire world on pins and needles of uncertainty, feels an awful lot like a whirling wind of tumult, replete with lightning bolts of cosmic "shock and awe," and a landscape that is buckling and lurching with fundamental change.

Who are we in this storm?

Are we like the pride walkers who try to power through, keep fighting, going for what they want, taking their marching orders from a hell-bent tyrant, and ignoring the One who controls the storm?

Or are we faith walkers, awed by the indescribably great God who leads our way through deep waters on dry ground, confidently following His every step, filled with joy at the freedom He is ever-winning for us who belong to Him?

While the winds are blowing over earth all a-bluster, let's go fly like a kite!!  Stand with me in the truth that the Holy Spirit comes like the wind and blows wherever He wishes.  I want to see what greatness He can produce in us if we let His wind unfurl us, put all our colors on display. Let's allow Him to brighten up this stormy grey world with our skydancing.

" . . . His banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]."

Song of Solomon 2:4b AMP

How are you learning to be a faith walker?

Is the storm terrifying or thrilling to you?
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I'm joining Ann Voskamp's Gratitude Community for her Multitude Monday.

I hope you will join in if you haven't already!

Since this is my first time sharing my 1000 Gifts List, here are some of my favorites from the last few months:

16. Cool morning breezes
28. Patriots who stand for my country
40. Crossing paths on the freeway unexpectedly with Hero Husband--a chance to have coffee together!
47. The song she played, just for me, opening her heart-window so I could peek inside and see hope
50. Ancient Promises with no expiration date
52. Extra tight hugs from Hero Husband
54. Having to tell Drummer Boy three times that it's too late for the loud music that spills out of him--it just keeps spilling :)
57. Catching up with Mom & Daddy, sharing coffee a country apart
63. 50 years of the most beautiful marriage I've ever seen & for Mom & Daddy who did it with You in the middle
87. Mom's stories of "their" wild horses, jumping fences and galloping across the hills of home

And here are my new ones, #91-100:

91. Tackling a mountain and finding it was only a molehill
92. Homemade pizza that She So Sweet and I made together
93. Hero Husband's thoughtfulness in surprising me with a Peet's Gingerbread Latte-Mmm!
94. Drummer Boy's fist raised with a triumphant shout as insight came clear
95. She So Sweet, promise-keeping and playing her violin
96. Brother-sister jam sessions
97. A house filled with the music they make
98. Bloggers who inspire me
99. The swell of joyful pride I feel over Hero Husband writing two blogs at once! 
100. A place to share gratitude

To check out Hero Husband's TWO blogs, go to

A Powerful Day and 

Leadership Perspectives

 (also under Blogs I Love on the left)!