What Happens After the Storm?

Everyone knows the saying “ the calm before the storm.” I think it’s interesting how we focus on so much of what happens before the storm instead of praising God through the storm and after the storm has passed. I am just as guilty of this as anybody in this way of thinking, so here is what happened this week and why I changed my point of view.

After an eight hour flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Paris, then a 7 hour layover leading to a 13 hour flight from Paris to Singapore, to making our 2 hour flight by two minutes from Singapore to Phenom Pehn, a nights stay in a hostel, and then a two hour van ride to our host home, we finally made it to Cambodia! 56 hours of travel total from door to door, one stop from immigration, one almost missed flight and  things finally got real!

We said goodbye to our other team from our squad on Monday morning. They are heading to a different city to do ministry. I’ve only know these people for 10 days and I can tell you that a few tears were shed when saying “see you later” to our friends. The next time we would see them was in a month when headed to Thailand. On the way to our host home we stopped to grab gas and coffee and I can now say that the best coffee I’ve ever had is in Cambodia. Wake Up Call has nothing on this coffee. Shortly there after we arrived in the village that we would be staying in. As soon as we drove through the green gates, I was at peace. All of my panic from the travel days before, all of my nervousness from being so far from home, and all of my anxiety filled prayers, had vanished. Something about just being there took all the fear away. For the last sixth months I had been preparing and anticipating this day and it was finally here. I don’t know how else to describe the feeling that I felt when everything came to peaceful rest. The words that came to mind was the song Tremble by MSC and the lyrics:

“Peace. Bring it all the peace. The storm surrounding me, let it break at Your name.”

It follows the story of when Jesus commanded the storm to stop with all of His disciples in the boat found in Luke 8. Even the wind and waters obey Him. How cool is that?! The God that I cry out to and the God that I serve can calm any storm that comes my way and leaves me at peace. The storm puts you in trials, and the trials are what grow you. You can’t grow when you stay in comfort. Rather take that step into the unknown and put your whole faith and trust in God. It is easier said than done, but it’s possible. I think that’s the funniest part of me signing up for the World Race. Back in September, I would’ve never signed up for something like this. It was out of my comfort zone and far away, while knowing no one. Early November is when I felt God tugging on my heart to go on a mission trip over the summer. After talking to some people and a good amount of consideration, I said why not?! So unlike me, yet I was and I am so excited. Knowing that there is a God out there who cares for my heart made me so confident in my decision.

When I was talking with my mentor Kallie, I looked through my prayer journal from second semester and realized I had prayed for trials and challenges within this trip. I asked God to test me, I asked that I would praise Him through it, and I prayed that it would make me stronger. It’s kind of funny how everything works out. God is a God who answers prayers even when you are going through rough waters.

So, yes there is the calm before the storm, but there is also radical peace after it and a steady hand through it. The comfort lies within the trust that you put in Him, the God who shed His blood for you, even though He knew you might not choose Him. How far are you willing to go to serve such a God and embrace that beautiful love?

Love you all!! Thanks for riding along with me:)