by Tama Fortner
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1b-3 NIV
There’s something about walking in the still quiet of the morning that renews my soul and energizes my day. Though I’m not overly fond of that early alarm, the lure of that time alone in nature and with God pulls me from bed most mornings.
Most mornings. Because it’s storm season here in Tennessee. From soft, gentle rains to flashing, crashing thunderstorms, you never know quite what our changeable weather will bring. So when the alarm went off the other morning, I listened to the downpour outside and considered simply rolling over for a few more minutes of sleep. But I didn’t. By the time I was dressed and caffeinated and had taken care of our four-legged friend, the rain had stopped. And though the clouds still hung heavy and gray, I grabbed my umbrella and headed off.
As always, the walking and the talking with God set my world to rights—or at least my perspective. Finishing my laps around the neighborhood, I had just stepped up on our porch and begun to turn the key in the lock when the rain resumed. And I couldn’t help but smile.
Because I’d been given space to walk between the storms.
I don’t know what is happening in your life right now, but mine is being buffeted with more than a couple of storms. Some days it seems that they’re blowing in from every direction—north, south, east, west, and all points in between. Some creep in, catching me unawares. Some boom and crash and send me searching for cover. And some simply soak me through.
When the storms hit, I’ve learned to live in the promises of Isaiah 43: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. . . . See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness (vv. 1–2, 19 NIV). In other words, God makes space between the storms.
As I stood there on my porch that morning, I realized a beautiful truth. Yes, there are storms. And, yes, there is sometimes rain when we long for sun. But there is also God. Always God. And by His power and His guiding presence, He lovingly makes a way for us, leading us through the stormy wilderness of lives lived out in this fallen world. The rains may pour down and the winds may howl around us, but God gives us space to walk between the storms.
And, oh, what a lovely space it is . . . here, with the One who calls us by name. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1 NIV).
This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).
About the author: Tama Fortner is an ECPA award-winning and bestselling writer with more than forty titles to her credit. As a ghostwriter, she has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Christian publishing to create inspirational books for children, teens, and adults. But her greatest accomplishments happen in a happy little home on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her family and an incredibly lazy dog who doubles as a footwarmer.
Tama’s newest title, Simply Christmas, releases September 28th from Ink & Willow and is available for pre-order now. Catch up with Tama and all her latest book news at www.TamaFortner.com.
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