Every step atop those old wooden boards, suspended over the rusted steel frame, made a plinking sound, like raindrops on the rooftop. Walking the length of the quarter-mile bridge was reminiscent of walking through a spring rain. Even the air held that fresh sent of a recent shower, and the sky was torn between storm-grey and crystal-blue as the clouds faded to a wispy creamy white. I stood at the edge of the bridge, my hands rested on the railing, and watched a starling flutter to the tallest branch of a nearby tree and call for its mate. Although I was alone, I didn’t feel lonely. For the first time in weeks I felt the peace of the Father wrap around me and my inner turmoil finally found some rest.

***

I wrote those words a year ago while on the road for an archery tournament with my son. It had already been a full season of tournament travel (with more to come), homeschooling drama, and teenage struggles. Reading that last sentence, a year later, I gasped and thought – it was the calm before the storm.

As I dissect my thought a little more, I must amend. Yes, a storm was coming. But storms are always coming in life. That’s life. That? That was preparation. It was strength for what was to come. It was peace unlike anything I would ever expect to need. It was a gift.

We need to take our moments when we can. To stop. To listen. To look up. To hear the plinking. To be. God will give us rest, and He’ll give us strength, and He’ll give us peace. Take the time to receive His gifts.

#Discover what God is offering you today.

#LoveOnPurpose – during the calm and the storms.

#LiveYourFaithBoldly – you never know who will need to see or hear it.