I should absolutely be in bed!   Everyone tells me the hope of recovery includes sleep, and it is often the one thing I have a hard time getting.   But I just feel so strongly that I need to share with all of my dear blog family out there a timely reminder God sent my way today.

I’ve just hung up the phone from a long chat with Nathan.   I’m still sniffling, I was sharing with him some of the things burdening my heart.   Physical things, decisions to be made, spiritual things, a potpourri of life, I guess.  Part of me feels silly because all these little “issues” don’t even form a walnut at the base of the tree in comparison to the mighty oak of CANCER.   Most of them spring from it, but are such really small issues.

  

But I’m weepy and burdened, wishing and praying for wisdom.   I am firmly convinced that it can often take more grace and trust to live the small areas of life than the huge ones!

So, I shared with him what I want to share with you.   I caught a bit of Tony Evans preaching on the radio as I drove to the store tonight.   I actually pulled off the road to enter some of his thoughts into my ipod, lest I forget them.   Here’s the story he told...

They lead cruises to Alaska, I think they charter spots on big ships like Princess or something.    They were on just such a cruise when they ran into BAD weather.   He said the waves were 45 feet.   Everyone was green and sick, and his wife was distressed.   She was feeling responsible for all of the passengers on the cruise as their guests.

Finally, she called the captain, and left a message saying that it doesn’t matter if there are paying customers waiting on the other side, she was concerned for their safety!   It didn’t take long until the First Mate called back, said he had relayed the message to the Captain, and had a message in return.

The Captain said, “Go to sleep, Mrs. Evans.   Go to sleep knowing two things.   First, as you sleep, I will stay awake here on the bridge, and I will guide this ship through the storm.   Second, go to sleep knowing that this ship was built for this storm.   As it was engineered and created, we knew the day would come when this storm would rise, and it was indeed created for this storm.”

Perhaps you needed those words as much as I did today.   I can hear the Captain of my Soul speaking now... “Go to sleep, Carlee.  I built your ship for this storm, and I will personally steer you through it.”   I think I’ll do just that.   Goodnight, everyone!