safe

Last night a major hurricane ripped across Florida, the second one to hit here in just under 2 weeks. As we’ve seen, storms bring devastation far past where they make landfall and some of the effects last a lifetime.

During the hurricane, the howling wind was a reminder to pray into the night to the One who tells the waves and winds be still. Sometimes it is hard to know what to pray, but believing an all-powerful God bends his ear to listen is enough reason for me to try. But what happens once the wind stops? Today was a beautiful day where we live. Once a storm has passed by, it’s easy for those who were spared to forget to keep praying. Maybe a good prayer is “Please help me remember to keep praying.”

Whenever there is a disaster or emergency, people can mark themselves as “safe” on social media so their family and friends know they’re not in danger. This is a helpful tool, but ironic to me. The internet is not a safe place.

Being a safe place for my friends and family is important to me. It means they know they are unconditionally loved. It means I’m in their corner and they can be honest with me about everything, including our relationship. When someone feels safe, they can be themselves. They can relax their shoulders, make mistakes, ask for help when needed, and find refuge from life’s storms. It takes time and intentionality to be safe, especially after a “storm” has brought devastation into someone’s life that reaches far deeper than expected.

I especially want to be a safe place for my son. No matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to protect him from everything.

I think part of being a safe place is modeling honesty ourselves. This can be just as hard for me as knowing how to pray. Maybe all this is connected. The more we learn to be honest with God, the more we understand His unconditional love. The more we go to Him for help and refuge, the safer we’ll feel and the safer we’ll become for others.

Stay safe, everyone.

~ Diane xo