When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:2

In Florida, we know about storms all too well—specifically hurricanes. They are impossible to escape during the late summer and fall. Every neighborhood around us falls within a hurricane evacuation zone—except ours. Our home is located about four miles due west of the Atlantic Ocean, and for some reason, if you were to look at a map of Duval County’s evacuation plan, our neighborhood is a very tiny section with no zone designation. I don’t know if that’s comforting or terrifying, but we’ve used it to our advantage: hurricane parties. 

In October of 2016, Hurricane Matthew came through Northeast Florida. All the beaches and most of the zones east of us were mandated to evacuate. But because we don’t live in a zone, we stayed. We were in the process of building a pool, and they had just finished digging the forty-foot-long, eight-foot-deep hole in our backyard. It was a giant mud pit—not ideal during a Category 5 hurricane! Two families we are very close with and often vacation with came and stayed with us because they lived in an evacuation zone—six adults, seven kids, no electricity and a giant mud pit in the backyard. 

We hooked up the generator in the garage so that we wouldn’t lose 400 pounds of wild game. (Pastor) Joby was in the mud pit trying to reinforce the plastic cover with cement blocks when our home fire alarm went off inside the house. We have one of those alarms that talks as it beeps. It repeated, “Warning, carbon monoxide detected. Please go outside and call 911.” The kids started screaming and crying, thinking they were going to die. (Pastor) Joby didn’t hear it because he was on mud pit duty and the only thing we knew to do—besides laugh—was circle up and pray. So, we circled up, held hands prayed and then went to Elder Petey and Deb’s house to continue the hurricane party because they still had electricity. 

We were together during that storm for several days, and being together took our minds off what was happening around us. Major flooding and damage devastated the city and beaches that season, but our kids played in the puddles in the street, and our daughters came up with hurricane jingles and dances they’d perform for us. We played games and simply enjoyed one another’s company. Bad things were happening around us, but we weathered the storm together. 

When storms come up in your life, do you ride them out alone or do you invite your people in to ride them out with you? My natural instinct is to do it alone. I’m an introvert, and spending time alone is my hobby. I don’t mind being alone—in fact, I enjoy it immensely. But over the years I’ve realized it’s not good to be alone when life isn’t going well. 

The Enemy wants to isolate us during tough seasons, and it is one of his most powerful weapons against us. We tend to isolate ourselves because of shame over our circumstances. We retreat because we don’t want to face the situation head-on. We prefer being alone rather than dealing with conflict. But conflicts don’t start in isolation—they begin in relationships. When your marriage fails, you might feel like giving up because it’s just too difficult. When you make a poor decision, you may want to hide away in a dark hole because you’re so embarrassed. When you lose a job and can’t find another, you may start to believe you’re not good enough and give up. When a friend betrays you, you might withdraw because trusting again feels too hard. When addiction creeps back in, you may give in behind a locked door, alone, because it seems easier. When your prodigal child hasn’t spoken to you in months, you might isolate yourself from other moms because you’re too embarrassed to tell them, and it seems like their kids are thriving. 

I get it. Believe it or not, I’ve been through almost every situation I just mentioned. I’ve done it both ways—alone and with my people. And I can tell you from experience: reaching out to your people might be harder, but it’s far better. 

Ephesians 5:31 says, “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Wives, when it gets hard, cling to your husband. The two shall become one fleshmeans you don’t get to do it alone anymore. You are not your own, and he is not his own. You are one flesh in the eyes of God, and you are one with God. Instead of the silent treatment or sleeping in separate bedrooms, cling to one another during the storms. You are on the same team, fighting the Enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy your marriage.

Addictions are easier to keep in the dark for many reasons. But gross things grow in the dark. When you surround yourself with people who are for you, there is a freedom that comes with that. Maybe someone can even relate—and they’ve been waiting to share their own struggle. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, ^” No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“

Life is hard. God didn’t intend for it to be—sin did that. But doing life together is God’s design. It is how He wired us. The Enemy knows that and tries to isolate us from our loved ones so we hear his lies louder than God’s truth. Find your sisters in Christ. And be the mat carrier for someone who is struggling. 

Peter stepped off a boat and walked on water toward Jesus in the middle of a storm. When he took his eyes off Jesus for a split second and became fearful of the wind and waves, he began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reached out and said, “O, you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus rescued Peter, but not without a lesson for all the disciples to see. 

So, when the storms hit and life takes you down a dark, resentful, jealous, broken, angry, sad, fearful or lonely path, do you have faith that Jesus can calm your storm or do you doubt? 

Who do you have surrounding you in love and prayer during your storms? If you can’t think of at least four people to carry all four corners of your mat, start working on that list and praying for God to reveal who your mat carriers are. 

Or maybe you have those mat carriers, but you haven’t been completely honest with them. While gross things grow in the dark, you may be painting a pretty picture and pretending everything is fine. It’s time to be honest with God and honest with your mat carriers. 

Ladies, we all have storms. Don’t let the perfect Instagram feed fool you. I pray every woman today knows she is loved by a perfect Father who will carry her through her storm. I pray for godly women to step up and be storm chasers in their friends’ lives.

God, thank You for my storm chasers and mat carriers. Amen.