Brushstrokes: Michael Matti and the Indiana Bicentennial Relay

By: Emily Lehner

Michael Matti is known nationally for his photography. He is a 2013 IWU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Photography. Originally from Indonesia, he now lives in Seattle, Washington. He practices his 10497124_10204730686126949_2443053335294817858_ophotography full-time. Matti has shifted from commercial photography to weddings and now he shoots mainly adventure and travel photography.

“IWU helped me discover my passion for photography,” said Matti. He was completely new to photography when he entered the major, and settled on it after switching four times. Currently, he puts what he was taught to good use by capturing beautiful landscapes. He has an eye for sunsets, mountains, and forests. Matti has done work for Camelbak, The Outbound Collective, and many more companies. He keeps a blog on his website, www.michaelmatti.com, about his travels.

Matti believes the people in his major became some of his closest friends. “I had a great time at IWU. One of my biggest memories is all the hours spent in the dark room with my fellow Photography majors,” he stated.

Social media is one of Matti’s biggest platforms for sharing the Gospel. He typically shares his pictures along with Bible verses. He said, “You never know who is reading and this lets people know I am a Christian, which opens doors for when I travel with others.” One of Matti’s photographs of a classic Indiana sunset and cornfield was recently chosen to be shown on the Bicentennial stamp for the state of Indiana.

indiana-bicentennialThe Indiana Bicentennial Relay will travel across Indiana and the downtown Marion rally gathering will feature Michael Matti’s Bicentennial Stamp as the torch passes by along with music and speaker that feature the IWU Jazz Ensemble and Masters Praise. The rally will be held on September 28 throughout the afternoon.

The Bicentennial Relay will pass by the IWU Marion Campus (Adams Street) between 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 28. Spectators should gather near the east entrance (Adams Street) as the procession passes by.

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

 

Ali Wren – Influencing the Classroom and Eating World

Ali WrenBy: Emily Lehner

 

Alison Wren graduated from Indiana Wesleyan in 2007 with degrees in both Exceptional Needs Education and Elementary Education. However, there is truly no limit to her talents. In the midst of reaching the hearts and minds of her young students, Wren grasps the attention of a completely different group of individuals as well.

In her spare time, Wren keeps a website and blog (www.aliwren.com) documenting her experiences with food allergies and life in general. She shares of her journey in discovering her allergies of gluten and dairy. It took her over a two year span with many trials and errors to discover these allergies.” At first, I would let myself cheat every now and then, thinking maybe a bite of this ice cream or this and that. But then, I would feel terrible for days after. So, eventually I just decided that to feel my best, I have to cut these things out completely,” said Wren.

Currently, Wren works alongside restaurants in the Indianapolis area to make their menus more applicable to those with food allergies. She covers topics on her blog that allow the reader to strive towards whole-hearted living. One of the majors topics Wren discusses is comparison. “When I was in college, I felt as if I was constantly comparing myself to others. After college, I realized that I could only do the best that I was able to. That has been life-changing for me,” she said. Wren has written an e-book available on Amazon called #InstaEnvy.

Wren believes that one of the best parts about her time at IWU was the community. She stated, “When my husband and I graduated, we had to be very intentional to find community. We realized that was because at IWU, our community was so close-knit.”

During her time at IWU, Wren believes she made some authentic friends. She said, “The professors invested in my life and taught me to do things with excellence. We were encouraged to accept the things God made to be our strengths.” She has taken the lessons she learned during her time at IWU and applied them to her current career.

Along with having a presence online, Wren reaches students’ hearts in the classroom as well. “Special Education gave me the ability to see all students. I could focus in on the students’ needs and gifts,” she stated. Now, however, Wren teaches a class of first graders for the first time since graduating. She believes God truly hand-picked her class for her this year. “Teaching is difficult, but so rewarding. And, the joy that comes from it is so worth it,” Wren said.

Wren acts as a good steward of what she has been given by making the most of her gifts and talents. She teaches at Forest Dale Elementary in Carmel, Indiana. You can find more about her here: www.aliwren.com.

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

Matt Shade- Influencing the Wellness World

By: Emily Lehner

 

Matt Shade is dedicated to pursuing health and fitness, and creating individual and corporate atmospheres that encourage others to reach their health goals.

team-profile-mattStaying in top shape has always been an important goal for Matt Shade. He began his basketball career at Carmel High School, in Carmel, Indiana. After college, Shade had the desire to continue his basketball career collegiately. He visited Indiana Wesleyan and loved the mission mindset the coach and team possessed. “I immediately fell in love with the school and campus. IWU presented me with the opportunity to play ball while getting a good education,” stated Shade. He believes that if he had attended a larger university, he would’ve gotten lost in the shuffle. IWU provided him with the accountability necessary to thrive.

“Many of my college memories revolve around basketball. The program was intense, but some of the best memories of college I have are from basketball,” said Shade adding that his classes were phenomenal and smaller, which allowed him to stay on track and learn more. He was a member of the 1995 NCCAA championship team and received the NCCAA All Tournament award.

Shade graduated with a degree in Recreational Management. With basketball still as a major goal for Shade, he moved to California after graduation to play in an NBA summer pro-league. He ended up returning home, realizing that his path was more than basketball. Shade received a position at a doctor’s office.

After a few years of working in the doctor’s office, he decided to pave his own path in the health world. Shade started a personal training company, which eventually transformed into a corporate wellness company, and currently, he runs a company called Fit Livin’. Fit Livin’ gives employers and their employees the opportunity to take control of their health goals.

Fit LivinShade and his coworkers have created an app that allows users to set personal health goals and be encouraged by others using the app. “The app focuses on five things:  Community, Goal Setting, Nutrition, Movement, and Health,” explained Shade. The app brings about recipes, workout plans, and positive peer pressure. It resembles social media, but with resources. Participants can post updates, meals, and exercises they are doing throughout the day, and their followers can encourage them throughout the process. Goals are chosen based on what the user is passionate about, and then a community is selected to provide accountability.

 

Shade said, “Indiana Wesleyan provided me with a lifestyle that I teach my kids on a daily basis- to have priorities. They start with faith, family, friends, and fun. We talk about that a lot. Those are the experiences I took home with me from IWU.” He places these priorities into his work, using his health platform to influence his friends and family and likewise, allowing his friends and family to shape the way he does his job.  

http://fitlivinteam.com/athlete-spotlight-matt-shade-2/

Visit Fit Livin’ on Facebook or Twitter @FitLivin. Download the APP FitLivin.

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Sam TorresWhile many of Sam Torres’ friends attended State Colleges after graduation, Torres chose a different route. His youth pastor, an IWU graduate, encouraged Torres to attend IWU. With dreams of becoming a teacher, he believed IWU would be the perfect fit. Torres also recognized that he was yearning for spiritual nourishment. IWU provided him with the challenge he needed to grow in his faith.

During his time at IWU, Torres would say that it was the relationships that impacted him the most. He said, “Some of the fondest memories for me in my life are the four years of college. I still stay in touch with those people. They are relationships that will never end.” Torres believes that IWU has an endless network of graduates, and has by chance met some of them in places he would have never expected.

Torres’ father was in the Marine Corp. and always told Torres that the Marine Corp. was a close-knit community. They always have each other’s backs. “I am the same way, just on a non-military level, with my fellow classmates at IWU. I know their experience,” said Torres.

Not only was his spiritual life challenged, but his athletic life as well. Torres participated in Track and Field under coaches John Foss and Eric Jackson. “When I went back to visit last year, it was cool. I went out on the track. There was dew on the ground, fresh cut grass, and the smell of the track,” stated Torres. These are memories that live on in his mind when he remembers his years at IWU.

Coach John Foss said when remembering his time coaching Torres, “He grew a lot as an athlete during his time here. He was very talented and scored often for us. He has a heart for IWU, which makes him a great alum.” During Torres’ time at IWU, he switched from education to business administration, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2001.

Rough Riders ProfileCurrently, Torres works as the Chief Sales Officer for the Frisco Roughriders in Texas. IWU’s emphasis on relationship allows him to do his job well. Coach Eric Jackson said, “He was always a very enthusiastic and dynamic athlete. I knew his business mindset and love for sports would eventually combine. He’s worked his way up the sports world, and he was the same way in track. People gravitated to him, so I knew he would succeed in whatever he chose to do.”

His career path before the Roughriders holds pretty impressive achievements. Torres has experience with launching teams to experience with opening a new Major League Stadium. He has worked for the Corpus Christi Sharks, Houston Dynamo, Rice University, and the University of Texas El Paso. “All the things I learned in my marketing classes, happened in real life for me. That is when I really felt like I was using my education,” said Torres.

In Torres’ job field, he uses a direct faith to life application. While the majority of the time, it is unknown to him whether or not fans will like his advertising ideas, he has faith that things will work out. He said, “As long as I know I have everyone’s best interests in mind, I know my fan base, and I know my products and business, I can take that step of faith in that direction.” Torres also believes that attending IWU was a leap of faith in itself. He does not believe he would have had the same college experience if he had not attended IWU.

Torres’ focus and intentionality with relationships helped him succeed during his time at IWU, making his four years some of the best of his life. This rare characteristic also allowed him to excel in the career path of his dreams.
For more details on Torres’ current job path, read: MILB News.

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

Homecoming Parade

Homecoming-ParadeHomecoming festivities are right around the corner. With the many festivities of Homecoming, the Indiana Wesleyan Staff is working hard to finalize details. The Homecoming weekend will host a number of events including a the Gaither Vocal Band concert, class reunions, athletic events, along with a parade, including a kazoo band.

Largest Kazoo Band of it's kind in 1975
Largest Kazoo Band of it’s kind in 1977

The original parade dates back over 70 years and expanded off campus and into downtown Marion. However, this year’s parade will mainly stay around campus. Members of the parade will include those from the community and campus. Examples are campus police, ROTC, President Wright and his wife, Homecoming Court including king and queen, a few residence halls, and various groups around the community.

CorvettePhil Talbert, a member of the IWU class of ‘74, plans to attend the parade and drive his corvette in it. Talbert bought the corvette himself the year of his college graduation, and it still remains in its original pieces. In 1973, weeks after placing an order for the car, the members of General Motors went on strike. “I wrote a letter to the District Manager of GM here in Indianapolis and told him that I was graduating from college, I had always wanted a corvette, and I wanted to see the USA from my Chevrolet. That was the saying back then,” Talbert said.

The parade will also have a kazoo band. Rev. Rick Carder stated, “Traditions are exciting. We hope that students will engage in this opportunity to bring as many people to the parade as possible including students and alumni. We will have a kazoo band “Grand Marshall” Paul Simpson to participate, who originated this in tradition in 1977 & 1978.” To learn more about the history of the Kazoo Band, read here.

HomecomingShuttle

The parade is scheduled to take place Saturday, October 8 at 1:00 PM. Participants should arrive at at Philippe Auditorium by noon to line-up. Participants can be from either the community or IWU. To submit an entry for the parade, visit . Prize categories include Most Unique, Most Wildcat Spirit, Best Walking Entry, Best Community Entry, and Best Student Entry. Winners are awarded $100.00.

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

 

Zack and Carla Working- Rebuilding the Church : Co-Pastors of the Week

Pastor Zack Working felt a call to ministry in sixth grade as he led a group of church-going friends in Sunday School at their local church. He described himself as “impressionable,” though, and after listening to the opinions of his peers, he decided to run far and fast from the Call. “It (the Call to ministry) just wasn’t appealing to me at that time in my life. I was much more athletically-driven, so I chose to focus on that,” said Working.

Working imageWorking, originally being from Huntington, Indiana, attended Mt. Etna United Methodist Church as a child and teenager. He was influenced greatly by the cycle of leadership that came through the church during his young adult years. He saw relationships crumble and situations being mishandled and decided that church wasn’t where he belonged, so he continued to run from God’s calling.

He decided to attend IPFW to study Elementary Education. “I had decided that Elementary Education was a noble career. God would let me do that and not be mad that I wasn’t in Ministry. I tried to justify by saying that it was a ministry to the students at school, but He knew I wouldn’t do it,” stated Working. His planned degree began to not work out, things started to go poorly, and Working attempted to study a few different majors next, but said, “Everything was just falling apart. It seemed I was losing my identity. I didn’t know who I was. I was listening to my friends and those around me, and I was still aware of what God was telling me to do.”

ZackEventually, Working got the point of attempting suicide. In the midst of preparing for the act, his dad came home early from work. Working said he couldn’t recall any other time in his entire life where his dad came home early from his job. “He usually got home later than expected, because he was always helping others and getting extra things done,” Working said.

Working was at an extremely low point in his life. A few days later, a friend’s grandmother invited him to church, and there he met Carla, who was attending IWU, and would soon become his wife. Life didn’t magically become smooth, though. The pastor of the church, Tom DeFries, invited Working to play bass on the worship team. “I wasn’t very good, but he let me play,” Working said laughing. “He just loved me. He shared the love of Christ with me, and by doing that, it really convicted me,” he stated.

Church 2 Church 1

Eventually, he came to the realization that he couldn’t run from his calling anymore. He decided to pursue ministry at IWU, and at this point, he was three years into his teaching degree. However, he started completely over with ministry, all while removing himself from the poor influences in his life. DeFries asked Working to be the lay leader of the church, and Working observed the fruitfulness that came from overcoming obstacles within the church.

Stained glass image 1Working married his wife, Carla, after she graduated from IWU. She took a position at a church in Elwood, then went to Wesley Seminary. This would begin their journey of listening to God’s call. After being in Elwood for five years, they listened to a Calling to move to Morley Wesleyan Church in Canton, New York. The church had only 20 people attending when they arrived, but by the time they left, the church had grown immensely and had started to influence the community that surrounded it.

Stained Glass 2Working and his young family took a second call a few years later to move to Ellington Wesleyan Church in Connecticut, where only 7 people attended when they arrived. Now, they have received a call to move home. The family currently resides in Lafontaine, Indiana and Working and his wife, Carla co-pastor Lincolnville United Methodist Church, which is south of Wabash. They work to externalize the church. His main goal with each church he pastors is help the church become the bride of Christ. “I really feel one of the things I have learned in my experience, and I think the reason God took me away from here, from home originally, is that for so long, I was the one being influenced. God really taught me in my experiences how to be the influencer for Him. I really envision that for this church and all the churches I am at.”

Working’s purpose is to teach the church not to be influenced by the culture, but to instead influence the community around it. He said, “We, as pastors, are meant to do something more than minister on a weekly basis, but we are really meant to influence the lives of the people that are attending, so that when they go out, they can be influencers.” His life verse is Acts 20:24, which states, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

He believes his greatest joy in ministry is seeing the journey of those coming to know Christ.

Zack and Carla Working continue to be God’s light within and outside of the church, and are always willing to follow wherever He decides to lead them.

We congratulation co-pastors, Zack and Carla as this week’s Pastor of the Week (potw).

Zack and Emily

Emily, student writer, presents the POTW mug!

 

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

Grow Your Garden: devo no.3

Garden-Devo-3

 

We all know John 15:5. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

I think, so often, we believe we can do it all on our own. I know I certainly believe that sometimes. I like the idea of control and having everything within my reach. I like knowing how tomorrow is going to go. I’ve noticed, though, that as much as I think I am going to feel accomplished when I succeed in having everything under control, I end up not feeling as satisfied as I expected. In fact, at the end of the day, I feel mostly empty and depressed.

John 15:5 explains my empty feelings perfectly. The moment we believe life can be done on our own is the moment we separate ourselves from Christ. By believing that we can purchase, schedule, organize or plan our lives according to how we feel is best — we have no part in God’s plan.

John 15:5 says specifically, “apart from me you can do nothing.” If you think about it, it is obvious that the branches aren’t in charge of holding the tree down. In fact, the branches have no say in where the tree is actually planted. They only exist because of the vine.

If we desire a fruitful life, which I know we all do, we must realize that we can’t do it on our own. A fruitful life cannot be solely accomplished from our own efforts. I encourage you to allow God to lead you wherever He has planned. Trust Him. His plan holds more than you can imagine. Let that excite you.

 

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

From Local Church to the Classroom

Jared and Tylar Kidwell Jared Kidwell graduated from Indiana Wesleyan with a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry. He entered IWU unsure about his college decision, but said, “I didn’t know much about the school at the time, but I quickly became aware that this was God’s plan for me. As I was there, I made great friends and was able to build good relationships with my professors, and it became a place that ultimately I didn’t want to leave after I graduated.”

Originally an Illustration major, he felt the call as a Sophomore to change to Christian Ministry. After college, Kidwell accepted a job at Lafontaine Christian Church as youth pastor. He spoke of two different post-college experiences. One, being a relational journey, and secondly, a career path. Kidwell had met a girl in college, and they were engaged, but after college, he said, “It became clear that God was leading us in a couple different directions.” The engagement was broken off, but, the situation “was a blessing to us,” said Kidwell. He believes his relationship with Christ only strengthened during this time.

Vocationally, the job as youth pastor went smoothly. He felt that IWU had prepared him greatly. Kidwell cultivated relationships with those around him, sharing his passion for Christ with the teenagers of Lafontaine Christian Church. His desire to grow deeper in biblical wisdom influenced the entire congregation. During this time, he also helped coach local cross country and wrestling teams, spreading equally as much wisdom into the lives of the runners he coached.

A few years later, Kidwell met who would soon be his wife, Tylar. He recently accepted a position as a junior class Bible teacher at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Florida. “I have an opportunity to not only share The Gospel and be a part of students’ lives, but I get to grow alongside of them in my studies,” he said. He is able to incorporate ministry into his work, and do this on a daily basis.

Kidwell said he had been praying for a year and a half about God’s plan for his career, and then, one day, he received an email from Calvary Christian High School. Although he had never considered teaching before, he took the offer to visit the school and guest teach a class. He was offered the job right after the visit. Kidwell said, “the Holy Spirit’s nudge in my life to begin searching and praying that direction, but then also to recognize that God was doing something special and opening doors that I couldn’t open,” are what led him to accept the job offer.

The Bible class Kidwell teaches currently is a high school version of what he learned in Dr. Bounds’ Theology class during his time at IWU. He remembered a time Dr. Bounds told the class that if they were Ministers, they were also Theologians. Kidwell believes he currently puts that statement into practice. He works to strengthen the roots of the students’ beliefs so they understand what it is exactly they believe and why they believe it. “My experience at Indiana Wesleyan prepared me for the responsibility and skills I would need in the education environment.”

Jared and his wife currently attend Harborside Christian Church. Kidwell’s light for Christ continues to shine as a teacher, friend, leader and husband. All who know him see a Christ-like example of humility and love.

Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

“Discipline vs. Perfectionism” – Summer Devotional Series

By: Emily Lehner


Discipline vs. Perfectionism (1)

 

I think, as Christians, we tend to misinterpret the meaning of discipline. I am not saying that we are too disciplined. In fact, we probably are not disciplined enough. I think, however, we are also mixing up discipline with perfectionism. We believe that eventually discipline leads to perfectionism.

 

The difference between discipline and perfectionism is the matter of whose ability and power we are relying on to complete the task. Perfectionism yields the idea that I am able to complete a task with no flaws. As humans, we are drawn to this concept. We are drawn to the thought of going through a day without messes, hurt feelings, or failure. At least, I know I am. I cling tightly to the possibility of having a perfect day — so tightly that I am hard on myself when it doesn’t work out that way.

 

So, what is the difference between perfectionism and discipline? Perfectionism is strictly to give yourself pleasure, while discipline is an act of worship. Discipline acknowledges that there is room for mistakes, but makes it ritual to turn to God in the midst of them. As humans, it is not always first instinct to return back to God when times are hard, but discipline has a teaching element that shows us how fruitful our lives can be — in good times and  poor times — when we make it habit to turn to Christ.

 

Aiming for perfection only leads to disappointment. Perfectionism leaves no room for mistakes and runs farther from God toward shame and disappointment when failure happens.

 

Discipline acknowledges Christ as the only true perfect being. It realizes that we are fallen with sin, but draws us through self-control back to Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 9: 24-27 says:

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

 

Discipline has a purpose and place in our lives. That purpose is to draw us closer to Christ. However, we must acknowledge that salvation is strictly an act of grace. We cannot do it on our own. I encourage you to attempt to move away from the boundaries of perfection. Realize that mistakes happen, and when they do, we have the opportunity to discipline ourselves and turn to God, or be down on ourselves and wallow in self-pity. What choice will you make?

 

 

Emily Lehner is a writer for the Alumni Center, and is a Sophomore Writing major. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com. Her blog includes personal trials, triumphs, and devotion style writing. 

“Shelter in the Storm” – Summer Devotional Series

By: Emily Lehner

Shelter in the Storm

Rain, Rain, …Stay?

 

Because of my disfavor for high temperatures, I have thoroughly enjoyed the weather lately — the endless drizzle of rain, the thrill of the sky getting dark, the low rumbling of thunder approaching, the wind picking up and the trees swaying and bending and sometimes breaking.

 

However, I think most of all, I love the protection and comfort I feel during the thunderstorms. I love shutting the windows to my house and watching contentedly and safely from behind closed doors. We desire protection. We want to know that in the absolute worst of moments, the absolute worst of storms, we are going to live to see the rainbow that appears so gently in the sky afterward.

 

I think it is safe to say that we desire this comfort in every aspect of our lives. As children, we sprint as fast as we can to our parent’s bedroom door where we burst in asking for a safe place to sleep — a place to save us from the monsters that lurk in our closets or under our beds. As teenagers, we find comfort in a warm meal provided for us after a long day at school or having someone to talk to when times get rough. As adults, we find comfort in knowing our children are safe or that our spouse deeply loves us. At every stage in life, we crave the feeling of knowing someone or something is going to shield us from life’s most tragic, frightening moments.

 

Last spring, I remember a storm hitting that was one of the most brief, but most frightening storms I have probably ever experienced. I think it was so frightening because I happened to be driving at the time it happened. It was one of those storms where you can barely see the road that’s paved a foot in front of you. The storm came and went and with it came a beautiful sunset. Hues of pink and purple streaked the sky. I just happened to take a moment to glance out the window to see it. I was so intrigued by it, that when I arrived home, I decided to walk to the end of my driveway to see it.

 

As I was walking, I thought to myself how the storm from earlier that day had been worth it because of the beauty of the sky now placed in front of me.

 

Then, it was almost as if a thought was just placed ever so lightly on my mind and if I didn’t pay close enough attention, I would’ve completely missed it. I realized that God makes the storms in our lives worth it. He makes the floods, thunder and wind so incredibly worth it. He’s the sunset at the end of our trials, tears and broken hearts.

 

God is the house built firm and strong that can withstand the storm. God is the comfort we truly desire and need. He’s there always. He promises that.

 

Isaiah 41:10:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Psalm 119:114:

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

 

The storms are going to come and they’re going to toss you around and leave you feeling hopeless and abandoned if you don’t have shelter. Without God, you may never see that satisfying rainbow or sunset. What more is it going to take for you to seek shelter in Him?

 

This post originally appeared on Emily’s blog at www.EmilyLehner.wordpress.com. Check it out for more devotionals and stories!

 

Emily Lehner is a writer for the Alumni Center, and is a Sophomore Writing major. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com. Her blog includes personal trials, triumphs, and devotion style writing.