Beautiful Rain

Everyone knows that North Dakota is famous for 1) being flat. (though only a small section is flat anyway...) 2) being really cold (but only in the winter) and 3) being very obscure. (some people don't even know it is a state yet, I mean, what do they teach them in those schools?) But did you ever think, if there had never been something called 'Noah's Flood', there wouldn't be such diversity in terrain, there would be no blizzards, no heat waves, no floods.

No rainbows, no snowflakes, no mountains... I'm sure there's a lot more 'no's'. Point is, God can even take sin and its necessary judgment (the flood) and turn it into something beautiful.

When we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, we KNOW, for sure and for certain, that God can make something amazing out of it. Metamorphosis. Changing into something entirely different. There still has to be the process, and it's not always nice. Destroying the entire face of the earth definitely wasn't 'nice'. The important thing is learning to praise God anyway, through the difficulty, and we'll come out of it eventually, all the better for the learning to praise.

Rain makes rainbows. Rainbows are a sign of God's promise to us, a reminder of His covenant.

Praise You In This Storm

I was sure by now

God You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You've never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to You

And You raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of heaven and earth

-Casting Crowns