The clouds were building in the distance. I had heard that the south was experiencing some pretty heavy storms and flying high above the clouds revealed their depth.

I really do love flying but when someone says there is turbulence up ahead, and the large iron tube that you are flying in starts to shake…well I get just a little unnerved.

Oh I don’t want the storms to come Lord.

In my 40 years I have weathered my share of storms. Some of them came up without warning, others were brewed up out of my own doing.

And if we are being honest here, I haven’t enjoyed a moment of the time during the storm. I probably make things worse as I stomp my feet, shake my fists and ask God why He allows them to happen.

But as we often see there is a beauty that emerges after a storm. New growth, the clouds parting, a view we hadn’t noticed or appreciated before.

Inevitably the storms will come, instead of trying to run for them I need to be preparing myself to walk through them with as much grace as possible.

The only way to be prepared for an unknown such as this is to be focusing on Who is my strength. In hindsight I can always see how God was with me. Even if I felt alone, I can see now where His hand was evident.

Knowing this truth, even if just from past experience, should give me hope.

Spending time with God, seeking Him in my every day, getting to know the character of Him will prepare me to weather the next storm. Just like in the airplane, I am trusting that the pilot is guiding the aircraft through the turbulence.

I want to always be putting my full trust in the One pilot in my life that will help me face any storm to come.