By Ariane Williams

Now that the storm is over, are you still stocked, anchored, locked, bolted and prepared for the outer winds? Did you search for your receipts to return your safety nets, or did you keep your safety nets for a future undetermined storm?

We spent so much time waiting for the storm in the physical, but how much time do we spend faithing over our spiritual seasonal storms before they hit and after they hit us? Is your faith stocked? Is your faith anchored? Is your faith locked? Is your faith bolted? Is your faith trusting in the eye of the storm, now that the storm is over?

The day after the storm, I stepped out onto my porch. I sat on the step just to hear the peace. I felt as if I was sitting in the eye of the storm. Have you ever sat in the eye of your spiritual storm, or have you been stuck in the outer winds? Man cannot predict a change in course, but man must be prepared, stocked, anchored and locked when the course takes an unexpected path. So many people displayed a sense of physical anger in preparation for the storm. Do you know that your physical anger can spark spiritual anger and can throw you back into the storm? Although the storm physically passed us, it was still hanging over us, spreading its remnants. We got so stocked up in the physical that we missed the spiritual remnants of how we needed to pray continuously.

Experts stated that this hurricane was different; it was unexplainable. The storms that you face in your life are sometimes unexplainable. When there is no answer, there is only God. To evacuate means to remove. People became frustrated because they did not know their zone. With the help from others, people were able to identify their zone to determine if they needed to evacuate from their space. If we can help others identify their zone for a physical storm, then we can help others identify their safe place in the spirit for a spiritual storm. There is a scraping of the old that is taking place to prepare for the new, so do not lose sight of it. Do not allow the wind to take it without a fight. It is time for you to create an evacuation plan so that the storms in your life can exit. You stand right there in the eye, let those things move around you, and they will soon weaken. As you stand, you will become stronger.

Your spiritual storms can be “brewing” in the ocean. People will make them brew. Your boss will make them brew. Illnesses will make them brew. Finances will make them brew. Will you allow your faith to brew during it all? As it is brewing, you should be praying so that when it hits land, you can be stocked, anchored, locked, bolted and prepared. In English, I teach my students about prepositions. Let’s look at the words “before” and “after.” If the word “before” means in front of, then prayer should be “in front” of your storm. If “after” means in the time following, then how are you building your strength and praying after the storm? Just because the storm is over doesn’t mean that you come out of shelter. It is important for you to know your zone while you are in your zone.

I encourage you this week to print out a picture of the “eye of a storm”. After printing out the picture, write down the word “peace” in the middle of the eye. On the outside of the eye, write down your storms. Your storm can be an illness, abuse, marital issues, confusion, loss of a job, loss of a loved one and more.

As you see those things around your storm, it is important for you to remember that there is peace in the middle of it all.

Ariane Williams is a teacher, minister, published author and liturgical dancer. Email her at arianewilliams810@yahoo.com.