Storms

 
I am really fascinated with storms.  Only in pictures though.  Not real life...especially storms that come in the way of life's trials.  I have been drawn over the years to spiritual storm analogies.  I guess the Lord knew I was going to need them.  One of my favorite quotes is by Elder John H. Groberg:

"Life is like the ocean…sometimes we get caught in squalls and storms and things don’t go the way we think they should…even when we think we have done right…sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child…God can find us in the eye of a storm and give us courage to swim in rough water.  We learn lessons from storms that we cannot learn from calm seas."

I have that quote in the back of my scriptures with a picture of a big ocean wave.  And the words to the song, "Master the Tempest is Raging" and this quote by Elder Jeffery R. Holland:

"It is not without recognition of life's tempests, but fully and directly because of them, that I testify of God's love and the Savior's power to calm the storm.  Always remember in that biblical story that He was out there on the water also, that He faced the worst of it right along with the newest and youngest and most fearful.  Only one who has fought against those ominous waves is justified in telling us---as well as the sea---to 'be still.'  Only one who has taken the full brunt of such adversity could ever be justified in telling us in such times to 'be of good cheer.'  The one who calmed the storm can quiet our soul-squalls."  (Ensign 11/99 pg 36)

Brigham Young said, "God is at the helm.  This is the mighty ship Zion and you need not worry about anything else...He guides the ship, and will bring us safely into port.  All we have to care about is to take care of ourselves and see that we do right.  Let us man the ship manfully, everyone standing faithfully and firmly to his post, and she will out-ride every storm and safely bear us to the harbor of Celestial bliss."

"...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."  -Helaman 5:12

I am so thankful today for the rock I have to stand on, my Redeemer and yours, our Savior, Jesus Christ.