Safety in the Storm

An invitation to encounter His Peace

 An excerpt from my journal after I was soaking in His presence one day. 

For those of who may not have ever soaked, the first time I tried is actually a funny story! (Ask me sometime!)  Soaking, for me, is listening to worship music on as I lay on the floor letting Him love me and loving Him back – this is often where He speaks to me because I am available to Him.  My head is cleared and open to His voice, His leading.  Sometimes He gives me an impression, or a word, or a verse and sometimes a vision like this one.  I invite you to picture yourself in this scenario…  I pray this sparks your own encounter with God...
​
From my journal:
All of a sudden the music I was listening to faded and I was aware of the sensation of rocking in a boat. I realized I was in a dingy out on the open sea.   The waves lapped softly and I lay in the curve on the bottom of the wood dingy.  I knew somehow that I was out in the middle of the ocean very far from land.  The peace I was wrapped in was almost indescribable and did not match the circumstance around me.  Safely tucked in the crook of the curve in the bottom of the boat feeling the sensation of vastness around me.  I could even feel the dampness in the air.  I wasn’t cold, I wasn’t hungry, I didn’t feel lost, alone or afraid.  Suddenly, I was made aware of what raged and threatened from below the boat.  Huge sea monsters of various sizes, colors and shapes swam just below and along the side of the boat, although never breaching the surface.  Again, I was in complete peace and it occurred to me to ask about the oddity of these ‘sea monsters’.  

 I ‘felt’ Jesus whisper:  “These are your fears that lie just below the surface”.   As I lay safely in the bottom of the boat, I was aware that these monsters just inches beneath me had the power to capsize me.  I never sat up. I never looked over the edge and I never once felt fear. Not a single morsel. The peace was so full, so encompassing and I realized the source;  I trusted in my boat.  I trusted in my position in the boat and I just lay there safely even though monsters swirled and threatened below.  It occurred to me then that I had no oars to even steer the boat.

Suddenly, the waves picked up and the boat began to rise and dip in the swells.  Still I had peace. I was actually really enjoying this.  It felt like I was practicing peace in the storm.  I knew my boat was God himself.  I knew He was teaching me, instructing me and even giving me some practice as He demonstrated His own word to me, His own character to me.  Isn’t that amazing?  He loves us so much, He takes the time to personalize trainings.   

He doesn’t give up on us. He doesn’t turn to Jesus and say “Jeez, this one just doesn’t get it!”  Instead, He says “Jeezus, this one needs a little help.” ( :

Soon my little boat was being tossed about and the winds were fierce, the waves were massive and I can honestly tell you that I was even feeling those little butterflies in my stomach in the natural!  It was so weird.  I had butterflies like you would on a roller coaster but it was more that feeling you had after a day at the amusement park as you lay in bed at night and your stomach is still reminding you of what you did to yourself that day in the name of ‘fun’.  At one point, my boat spun around and around in a whirlpool and yet I had complete peace.  Honestly, it was more than peace, it was completely present in Him.  In His power, His safety, His promises for my life, His love.  Nothing, nothing, nothing was bigger than Him. 

Then, the storm began to subside and the waves calmed.  But, I was aware that the waves were now directing me.  Like a child in the bathtub pushing the water to make waves pushing his toy boat,  two or three last waves grabbed me and carried me toward a sandy beach where I was able to step out into a new place I had never been.

As I write this, I am enjoying the feelings I just experienced but I don't have an interpretation other than I believe He is saying that no waves will overtake me and at the end of this pandemic, I, we, will be in a new place.  I hope you enjoy this truth as well and can really picture it for yourself.  The rest of that day I was still intoxicated with the peace from that little play-date with Papa God (Abba).  Honestly, for two days, I was able to go right back into that feeling.  It was wonderful.  I knew that God was telling me this: “Kara, it’s not by might nor by power, but by my spirit”.  In other words, trust in me, you don’t need to strive, control, worry or make anything happen right now.  The fears below the surface, the storms around you will not touch you, if you just rest in me, trust in me, I will direct you and bring you into something new  on the other side of the storm.