Just Singin' for Jesus...

"While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being." (Psalm 146:2)

Hear me each Saturday and Sunday Afternoon at 4:00 "Discovering the Word"

Peace in the storm

            The first time Alan went overseas with the Navy, we were scared to death. We had been married for more than 20 years and had never been apart for more than a couple of weeks.  When he got his orders it looked like he could be gone for as long as two years.  That’s years, not weeks or months.  I was devastated.  How could this be happening now? 

            Time seemed to drag and fly at the same time.  It’s hard to explain.  His plane was due to leave late at night.  Several of his family went with us to the airport.  A friend of mine from high school came to say goodbye and make sure I was going to be okay.  I hadn’t been sleeping well or eating very much.  The truth was I was feeling sick to my stomach, my head was pounding and my heart was racing.  I tried to “be strong” for Alan and not let him see this.  I don’t think I succeeded very well.  We were both scared and unsure of everything.

            At the airport, they only let you go so far with a passenger.  We stood at that point as long as we could.  Finally, it came time for him to go through security.  I think I did okay until he got around the corner out of sight.  I turned around and there was my friend.  I fell into her arms a cried from the depths of my soul. Fear, anger, worry, doubts, all flooded my mind, I just couldn’t understand.  I fussed at God. I mean I really let him have it!  Then I realized I was wrong for acting this way.

            I stopped and apologized to God.  I told him I was so sorry and had no right to question, that he had given us so much and done so much for us.  I asked him to forgive me and told him I would trust him to look after us and carry us through this.  As soon as I did this I heard him say, just as clear, “Its okay, I just need him for a little while.  I’ll bring him back home to you.”  Immediately the headache went away, the nausea left me and my heart became calm. 

    My friend held me away from her and demanded to know if I was okay.  I told her I was and she didn’t believe me.  She asked again if I was okay.  I told her that I was fine and that everything was going to be okay.  To this day she’ll tell you I scared her to death because I got so still, so fast!  I carried that promise throughout his deployment, which happened to be only 7 months.  To us it seemed like a lifetime, but God was faithful and brought him home just like he promised.

    Even though I was standing in the midst of one of the biggest storms of my life, I’ll never forget the clearness of his voice or the peace that came with it.