Tag Archives: testing your faith

Isolated Showers

 From a meteorology perspective, weather systems can stall on occasion, creating isolated showers in the same location for hours or in a worst cause scenario for days at a time.  This phenomena is known as a stationary front, where a boundary is formed between two air masses neither of which replaces the other.  Whenever a weather system travels less than 6 miles per hour, its deemed to be stationary.  Unique wind conditions makes this possible as the north side of a stationary front move in a East to West direction.  Meanwhile, on the southern edge, winds reverse, moving from West to East.

 

According to a September 15th article in the U.S.A. Today, experts are blaming an unusually strong ridge of high pressure parked over Western Canada for the deadly flooding in the Boulder region of Colorado.  Over one month later, hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, likely washed away in the torrent rapids flowing down the Rocky Mountains.  This natural disaster has conjured up memories of the Big Thompson flash flood of 1976 where 144 were killed just north of Boulder.  Those who believe in God often struggle to make sense of these storms, wrestling for answers to grasp why.

 

Although every geographic area does not encounter the same natural disasters, all regions experience isolated showers.  Literal storms can bring lightning, thunder and heavy rains.  Spiritual storms offer a different challenge, testing your faith, patience and soul.  While people can seek shelter for isolated showers, life’s trials are often unexpected, resulting in an invisible tsunami attempting to wipe you out spiritually.  It’s not if these isolated showers will occur, but when.  Therefore, when a spiritual stationary front knocks on your door, arm yourself with the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27.

by Jay Mankus

Faith Like a Yo-Yo

The 2008 film Faith Like Potatoes reveals the inspiring true story of Angus Buchan.  Prior to his move to South Africa, Angus was a farmer with a hot temper.  However, when God intervenes using a few unlikely friendships, Angus begins a journey of faith.  Irrational at times, Angus follows a calling to plant potatoes, risking the future of his farm in one desperate attempt to make an honest living.

Of the 11 million Americans who are currently unemployed based upon the April 2013 Job’s Report, 4.4 million have been out of work for over 27 weeks.  When the fruits of your labor come back empty, faith is something you put to the curb, set to be recycled until good news returns.  Thus, faith is like a yo-yo whose string has broke, leaving behind a plastic wheel without the resources to accomplish its original purpose.

Psychologists often  refer to 7 signs of emotional melt downs.  These signals point to people who have or are about to reach their breaking point, where their faith string is about the snap.  The tension of experiencing consistent ups and downs place undue strain, pulling at the fibers of one’s soul.  Therefore, the next time you want to throw in the towel or raise the white flag, remember the words of Matthew 15:21-28 so that your faith will climb from the bottom to the top like a yo-yo!

by Jay Mankus