“Ahhh, we better get out of here right now. I have a feeling the lake might be very rough.”
From what we could see of the lake through the trees and the degree to which the trees were now swaying back and forth with the force of the wind, we knew our photographer guide was right. This was his turf, he knew this mountainous region and this lake better than anyone. If he said we needed to go then we needed to go now.
We had been doing a photo shoot for a client’s project at Nemo Falls in Valhalla Wilderness Park, a short hike above the shores of Slocan Lake in BCs Kootenay region. It had been a gorgeous day as we made our way down the lake earlier in the morning. Bluebird skies, with the lake like glass.
Oh yes, just as I had hoped it would be.
This would be the day that Anne would fall in love with boating. She would come to love it as much as I do. Who would not fall in love with being out on the water on a day as glorious as this? Thank you Lord!
You may have gathered that my wife isn’t particularly fond of boating. She hasn’t been bitten by the bug yet. I am bitten and smitten and want her to love it as much as I do. So, over the course of our years together I keep trying to “sell” her on boating. I have set up some great trips, but for some reason they all seem to go sideways and she ends up less interested in boating than before our outing.
However, this would be it – this would be the one that wins her heart. Sadly though, what looks like high winds and whitecaps on the lake, as we peer through the trees from Nemo Falls, could well spell another downfall for me.
Sure enough, when we get down to the lake it is as bad as we had hoped it wouldn’t be. White caps had been crashing over the transom of the 18 foot closed bow runabout and swamping it. We quickly had to turn it bow first into the waves and would drain the water out the back as we accelerated into the waves. Two of us held the boat bow first into the waves as our guide fired up the engine, ready to take off as soon as everyone was in the boat. It took all our strength to keep the boat from being beached stern first by the force of the storm’s waves.
We got Anne nestled up at the front of the boat right behind the windshield where we knew she would be safe. We accelerated into the waves and everything looked good – until the first large wave came over the bow, ran up the windshield and crashed through the gap in the canvas top all over Anne. She was drenched.
Dang, once again there go my aspirations of seeing her enamored with boating.
I can’t go into all the nerve shattering details that followed, but suffice it to say, it was a harrowing experience we will not soon forget and one that significantly set me back in my attempts to win Anne to boating.
The point is this: we all experience storms in life. They may be life threatening, or they may simply be uncomfortable. Regardless, there is a key to getting through the storms of life. Our objective cannot be to get out of the storm. The storm may be of the Lord’s fashioning to draw us closer to Him and strengthen us. Our objective cannot be to find the “eye” of the storm – the calm amidst the violent winds.
No, our objective needs to be to find the “I Am” of the storm. He is our anchor of hope. He is our safe harbour. He is the rock on which we stand while all else seems to be shifting. When we discover Him in the midst of the storm and seek not to escape the gale, we find a God-breathed peace that surpasses understanding.
Peace is not the absence of storm and conflict, but the ability to deal with it. Discover the “I Am” of your storms.
Matthew 8:24-26
“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Colossians 3:15
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”