Psalm 113 speaks of God "on high" looking down upon heaven and earth... caring for the lowly and needy... sheltering us as we are tossed about. I pray with the psalm, holding before God the stormy situations I am facing.

One of my mentors has told me repeatedly.... forget about telling God how huge your problems are... tell your problems how great God is! It is like shifting your sights from looking at a single storm on a lake





to a view from outerspace looking down upon the hemisphere!







The change in perspective transforms the heart, doesn't it?

I have sailed my boat on rough water...gusts of wind that I can "see" (yes, as you watch the water you can see the gust agitating the water in the distance) have descended upon my craft. Get ready... adjust your sails ... brace your feet ... shift your weight ... warn your crew. The pulse is rapid, adrenaline is flowing... the odds of peril increases. I need to attend to what is happening... but I also can't function if I dwell on the worries of what "may" happen.

No matter how rapidly the wind shifts or how stressed my rigging is, I must maintain an inner calm so that I can make responsive decisions and offer clear instructions to my crew. I blend my observation of what is going on with a humble, attentive assessment of the potential of my resources (my boat, my rigging, my crew.... my self).

Constant prayer (which unites me with God who looks down upon me as I sail through these situations) guides me and shelters me. It doesn't change the conditions I face, but it transforms the way I function within those conditions.