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Brand & Family Photographer
Houston, Tx

Kingwood photographer

Inspiration, Personal

June 3, 2015

Pouring Rain and Battle Scars

So it’s clear that May was a rough month for a lot of the state of Texas… torrential downpours, flooding, tornadoes. Mother Nature really let us have it. It’s been so gut-wrenching to see the images of homes destroyed, towns torn apart, and distraught family members searching for loved ones. My thoughts and prayers have been (and continue to be) with those affected by the wild weather.

In times like this, it is so hard to wrap my brain around  the thought of “why” that inevitably tries to fight its way in. It’s like when you’re having one of those days, or weeks, or months, or years that just seems to bring nothing but challenge after challenge and painful moment after painful moment. You’re swept away in a current of struggles. Each day seems like a fight to keep your head above water, and just when you think you might be able to get to solid ground, the rain starts again and takes your feet out from underneath you.

Nacogdoches photographer black and white image of raindrops on a window

I was thinking about this as I watched another news report of the increasing damage, and the forecast for nothing but more storms. And just when I needed it, He found his way in to quiet that voice asking “why”… He found his way in to remind me that while it may not be our first reaction or thought, those struggles are really his blessings in disguise. My devotional that night talked about fully and whole-heartedly putting our trust in God, especially when times get tough. Choosing to focus on God in the midst of the storm takes the power out of the challenge and brings us closer to Him.

Our struggles will leave us with battle scars – the floods leave behind debris and homes in shambles, but they also nearly eliminate the drought issue. In the wake of the storms, we’ve seen communities coming together to help one another. In having to start over, we’re pushed to rely more fully on God and his provision.

It’s not easy. And it’s not fun. The scars aren’t pretty. It’s hard to focus on praise in times of turmoil.

But when life gets rough, we have to try to remember that we’ve been through rough before. We’ve been battered. We’ve been knocked down. But we’ve also made it out on the other side. Yes, we have scars from our battles, but those scars are reminders of our strength. They’re reminders of God’s promise to never give us more than we can handle with the help of His Grace. They’re reminders of his presence in our lives, even when times get hard.

So as I try to wrap my brain around the “why” of life’s hardships, my prayer is that I’ll be able to try even harder to wrap my heart around His “why” and let that lead me. And I’ll keep on praying for those impacted, that they may find their way back to peace and stability, and that they allow God to make His Grace apparent in the rough days ahead.

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