Hurricane Party...

Has anyone ever heard of a hurricane party? I grew up in south Texas where hurricanes are a normal part of your summer and fall semester, but never have I heard of a hurricane party. I have heard of having a party and a hurricane hitting during the party, but never one before it hits. Hurricane Dolly is on the southern coast of Texas about to his South Padre Island and then my hometown of Brownsville where my parents and family are. I just talked to my parents and they are partying. Here I am at home, wishing I was home to be with my family during this. They are never easy, even though not much damage will be done by Dolly, it is still a time you wish you were with your family. If I was there, I would be partying, freaking out, but partying.

We will see how it looks tomorrow there, when it starts to get really bad and the eye of the hurricane progresses over my home. Ill keep you posted. :)

Trusting God or my Emotions?

Have you ever become a victim to your emotions? I have. Many times our circumstances stir our emotions and we respond inappropriately. While our emotions toward our situation are not entirely wrong; they are just not entirely reliable. But God is.

Adversity, trials, and sufferings are God's greatest tools for growing us spiritually. However, our emotions can tell us otherwise, making it hard to trust God for a good outcome. I think the reason it may be hard to rely on God in hardships is because we forget who our God is. We are focused on what our eyes can see instead of the unseen hand of God at work in our lives.

God only eliminates the things in my life that don't "look" like Him. If there is a characteristic in my life that needs to be put to death, I can trust God will do it and I'll be better off without it. While my mind may acknowledge this truth, my emotions need God's grace in order to trust Him in the process.

God's grace is always sufficient. He is enough for whatever I face. Recalling God's faithfulness in my past helps me trust Him in the present. Like David, Habakkuk and many others, I stir my faith in God by remembering those past victories. David was able to face and slay the giant because he remembered God's faithfulness in his past battles. Habakkuk, as he prayed about his situation, remembered God's history with the Israelite children and how He brought them triumph. Remembering our past victories reminds us of just how big and able our God is, and rescues us from any doubt in our present situation. It offers strength, hope, and the faith we need to endure.

In our human nature, we fear. But as children of God, we must remember how the righteous live. They live by faith. So I'm learning to say in my circumstances, "God, this is not what I want. It's not what I planned for my life, but though you slay me I'm choosing to trust you."

Instead of trusting my feelings, I'm choosing to trust my God. He is enough both now and always for whatever comes my way. While my emotions my trip me up from time to time, still, I will trust Him. Why--because if something needs slaying in my life, I'm better off without it and God is just the one to make the change a success.