The Whole Truth

“I might even suggest that sometimes God will design a storm or challenge just for your benefit.”

was a strong, anointed woman who taught me about God. She took in my mother and her seven children (by four different men) and treated her like she was her own biological daughter. I prayed daily for God to save my mother. She would do well for a while, and we’d get our own place, but it wouldn’t be long before she messed up and we were right back at grandmother’s house. I re member walking the streets at one and two o’clock in the morning because my mother was running from one of her men, or waiting in the car all night as she went to “visit a friend.” I wanted God to save my mother! Well, the Lord did save her! She was delivered and life was great. She joined this church where she met and fell in love with the pastor’s brother, but he turned her back to drugs and started physically abusing us and molesting my sisters. At the age of 11, I walked in on him molesting my six-year-old sister. I told my moth er, but she chose him over her own children. I can go on and on about my traumatic childhood; how one of my brothers was murdered and another died saving me from drowning; the experience of going to fam ily court watching my mother defend my abuser, or about my suicide attempts. I could fill every page of this magazine with my experiences of loss, rejection and abuse, but that’s not necessary. You have your own story and experiences that have made you who you are. People see the glory, but they don’t know the story!

Matthew 14:22-33 tells the story of Peter walking on water. Water walking is the glory but there is so much more to his story! Jesus tells the dis - ciples to get in the boat and go before him to the oth er side. They obey His instruction, but they run into a storm which proves that obedience doesn’t exempt you from trouble. That’s critical to remember when facing storms because the enemy will try to convince you that you’ve done something wrong, or that God isn’t pleased with you. But that’s not always the case. In fact, sometimes your storm is a direct result of your obedience to God. They wouldn’t be in this storm if they hadn’t obeyed the Master! You can be in a storm and in His will at the same time! I might even suggest that sometimes God will design a storm or challenge just for your benefit. On that boat were twelve disciples, but one of them was about to do what no other human had ever done before. He’s about to be the first to accomplish some - thing major, which tells me that sometimes you can measure your potential by your storm. I realize now what I couldn’t comprehend as a child: Every single challenge I’ve faced in my life was only preparing me for the greatness that was already in me. You must remind yourself that God isn’t trying to kill you, but He is trying to develop you. Your storm is developing your endurance. David said, it was good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statues (Psalm 119:71). Endurance and tenacity are developed in a storm, not on the shore. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. And He

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