When we left home, we were prepared only to be gone for part of the day. We were not prepared for any “worst-case scenario.” As I drove through the detours and even through a section I shouldn’t have, several thoughts ran through my head. As I comforted my children, I prayed. We have insurance, so I was not worried about most “things” in the house. I only wanted to save things that I couldn’t replace: handmade quilts from my grandmother, the scrapbooks she put together, and whatever we could quickly pack for a couple of days away.

We drove through heavy smoke and blowing dirt (the wind was near 60 mph that day). However, by the time we reached our block, the smoke was much less. The wind was blowing away from our home. We watered the yards, gathered things up, and stayed watchful for more news. We waited it out, praying for the firefighters and people closer to the fires. We talked about how amazing our God is—He tells the winds to stop, and they listen. He opens the sky and gives rain. We prayed for both.

Our most recent severe dirt storm brought this memory back to the front of my mind. I do not doubt God’s provision or protection. Sometimes I don’t think the weather or elements are listening.

All joking aside, when we’re thrown into a fire, we have two choices. We can be refined or destroyed. We can let the fires and storms of life siphon off the things that do us harm, or we can let them take over completely. In Isaiah 43:2 (NLT), God says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

We have HOPE, no matter what we face, when our hope rests in His Power!

The storms of life also require preparation. With the weather, you sometimes know what’s coming in time to do some last-minute prep work. Occasionally, weather storms come “out of the blue” or change trajectory suddenly. Life’s storms often hit us without warning. The loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, betrayal from a friend, or a terrifying diagnosis. Some build over time, like addiction or abuse. Even when we know something is coming, learning to surf the waves rather than drowning in rising tides is difficult.

We can prepare in advance for the storms. Scripture offers great encouragement and a warning. Jesus tells us plainly that we will have trouble in this world (John 16:33). The preparation for physical storms includes a safe place, emergency supplies, and important documents. The same is true for weathering the storms of life.

• We need shelter. “You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7
• We need supplies. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:12–17
• We need important documents, specifically the Word of God. “Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.” Proverbs 7:2–3

As a bonus, we need a fourth thing: a community to keep us accountable, encouraged, and to stand with us—even when we feel there is no strength left to stand. When we’ve come through the storm, we stand as a light for others!