Rough Waters and Stormy Times

Have you been on the water during a storm?  When the forces of nature leave you with no option but to "weather the storm"?

I have had 2 experiences like this on a 38-foot sailboat.  The first was when I was new to sailing.  There were 6 on board and we were returning to the marina after an amazing 2-week trip up to the North Channel.  We had anchored in a remote spot for our last sail across Georgian Bay.  As good sailors, we did check the weather channel before setting out.  The reception was a bit spotty and we did know that there was some rain in the forecast.  The skies were gray but not stormy.  It was going to be at least 12 hours to make the voyage.  We set out early as planned.  Soon there was no land in sight.  And then it stormed.  We made a mistake with the sail and learned that even a little bit was too much for the storm.  We made it through the storm lesson learned.  And then we were hit with another storm.  All we could do was wait it out.  Being tossed about, heeling over, trying to steer to reduce the impact.  I was grateful my kids had chosen to sleep in and were rolling around in their berth - not knowing the fear of the moment.  And the storm passed.  But the weather wasn't finished with us yet.  A third storm tested us again.  When we finally made it into our slip at the marina that evening, it was a sunny calm summer day.  

That was our first trip on the sailboat.  Our sailing years were bookended with storms!  Our last trip had us in the roughest waters we'd been on.  We'd been sailing for 8 years now and had more experience.  This time we waited out a storm in the anchorage we'd been staying.  All but 1 other boat headed to port before the storm.  What we hadn't counted on was the lasting effect on the water of a storm.  Rough waters and high waves don't end when the storm passes.  All that wind motion stirs up the water and it lasts until all that energy is expended.  We set out thinking we'd waited out the storm.  We hadn't.  There was more storm to come and the waters had waves that were bigger than we'd sailed through.  When all you see is a wall of water beside your boat, you know you're at the mercy of the water.  It's all black and white.  A wall of black water and the white as it crashes over the bow.  This was the only time I was seasick.  We took turns steering.  And heard maydays on the radio from boats thrown onto the rocks.  We were in deep open water but had to make it through some narrow channels later.  We had to weather the storm first.

Both these times on rough waters were experiences of helplessness.  All we could do was steer to reduce the impact and pray.  Sometimes in life that's all we can do.  Stay the course and pray. 

In the midst of stormy times in our lives, we can lose hope and let fear overwhelm us.  What about looking back at the storms we have weathered rather than dwelling on the current storms?  What if we find God acting in those past storms, bringing us through them?  See the growth and change. See the courage and faith.  Know that courage and faith can again bring us through.  Let hope be bigger than fear.  Hold the steering wheel and do what you can.  Have faith.  The storm will pass.