God's Promise

These sweet kid's of mine, they're always teaching me a thing or two. They say the most profound things when you least expect it and such was the case this past weekend.

Sunday evening the littlest and I went to the grocery store. The day had been a mixture of clouds and rain and as we walked out to the car to put the groceries in the vehicle, a big thunderstorm was looming overhead.

"Hurry mommy, it's going to rain!" She ran to her seat and buckled her little self in and I hurriedly loaded one bag after another.

We pulled out onto the road no less than two minutes ahead of sky splitting thunder. As we made our way down the road home the rain started pouring down harder and harder. It was as if five gallon buckets were right over us dumping out so hard that we could hardly see.

And all at once my girl starts laughing. Laughing hysterically from the back I glance at her through the rearview mirror and her eyes are wide with wonder and she's laughing while watching the rain.

I'm a bit surprised because last year's spring thunderstorms brought nothing but sheer terror to my littles. They were scared to death of the thunder so much that Quinley wouldn't even want to leave the house if she saw dark clouds overhead.

So I hear this laughter and I'm happy but confused.

"Mom don't you see," she said. "We don't have to be afraid. Because God promised he would NEVER flood the earth again! So it doesn't matter how much it rains it won't be too much."

And all at once it was like joy burst forth because she understood that no matter how rainy the day, dark the cloud or cold the wind, it would never ever be too much. God's promises are true so there is no need to be afraid.

The same is true for me, you and all those who believe.

It doesn't matter if you're a five year old trying to navigate your way through a thunderstorm on a scary ride home,

a fifteen year old trying to find out who you really are and what your place is in this world,

or a fifty year old looking at an empty nest and a new phase of life in the face with more questions than answers.

You can laugh at the rain and keep your joy through the storm because no matter how dark, how long, or how wet it gets-it will never, ever be too much.

God's promises are true.