The huge, stone library cast a cool shadow over where I sat, on the little wooden bench, waiting for a client to arrive.
I usually hate those unexpected moments of calm. They catch me off guard and I get frustrated thinking what else I could have been doing with that time had I known I would have it. And I get anxious sitting with my thoughts, digging deep into the fears and worries that so quickly pop up in moments of quiet.

But if I let them, those moments breathe life into my soul. So in this moment I made the choice to embrace my moment of still and waiting, and I pulled out my phone to read God’s Word.

“Better late than never,” I reminded myself while quietly pushing down the feelings of guilt.

As my heart and mind slowed their racing thoughts to take in His Word, these words stopped me…

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?'”
Matthew 8:23-27

We’re in the boat.
The waves are splashing over the sides and the winds are ripping the sails to shreds.
The noises of the storm are deafening.
The rain and waves are soaking us through.

But we’re in the boat with Jesus.
We followed Him here.
And He is here with us.

It might seem like He is sleeping.
It might seem like He doesn’t feel the wind or see the waves or hear the storm. But He does. He knows.

He knows that the waves are crashing over the sides of the boat.
He knows that our ability to steer the ship is lost.
He knows that the water level is rising in the boat.
He knows that the winds are howling and rocking the boat.
He knows that we feel utterly out of control.
He knows that we are scared and fearful and faithless.

But He also knows that He is in the boat.
And He also knows who has the power to stop the storm.
And He knows the plan…the outcome, and He’ll be with us every step of the way.

Maybe we’ll get wet and dirty and ragged, but mostly because we’re trying to fight to rescue ourselves when we can’t control the wind and the waves anyways.

Maybe we’ll get soaked and battered and worn out, but the boat isn’t going to sink…and even if it does Jesus is in the boat with us.

Maybe we’ll get tossed and pummeled and shaken, but our faith isn’t in the boat…our faith is in the fact that Jesus is in the boat with us.

And right now we’re in the middle phase, the part where Jesus is still asleep and it seems like He doesn’t see or hear or know what’s going on…He doesn’t seem to notice that the boat is going down.

But I know the rest of the story.
I know that Jesus rebuked the disciples for their little faith, and yet lovingly rescued them anyways.
I know that Jesus simply had to say a word and the storm was stilled.
I know that my God is in the boat with me and He isn’t leaving me.

And a deep peace washed over me like the cool breeze that was gently stirring around me.
He’s in the boat with me.
I have nothing to fear.

Be blessed
<3