Due to the low water conditions, we haven’t been able to take our kayaks on the Guadalupe River for the last few years. The drought here may have lifted this past week! Finally, the Guadeloupe River is on a big rise. The river flooded for the first time in almost 6 years!
It’s no fun kayaking when there’s little water in the river. It’s a real pain. You must keep popping out and dragging the kayak where there is little water. Finally, kayaking on the river is in our future!
I’ve been in my share of droughts. One year, while working at a camp in Northern California, we had restricted shower times. Here in Texas, we’ve had restrictions on watering our yards for years, resulting in a dismal yard by the time August rolls around.
Droughts can affect us personally. What do you hunger to see happen in your life that hasn’t happened? Have you endured excessive stress and little rest? Have you faced ongoing personal challenges? Are you going through intense work demands? It can feel overwhelming to face any one of these drought-like circumstances! We are left feeling depleted or empty.
It’s very tempting to let my droughts affect my spirit, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It affects everything. It’s times like this, that I must reflect on how God has worked in my life in the past. I have to remember that He is still a good God and has my best interests in mind. Over the years, I’ve been drawn so much to this verse in Jeremiah 17:7-8 that describes a person who trusts in the Lord:
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is in the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
The passage paints a picture of those who trust God and have confidence in Him no matter what happens! He describes faithful people as being like trees that grow beside a river. Their roots extend to the deepest parts of the river and they are nourished by the water. I see those beautiful Willow trees along the Guadalupe River and picture this verse! The trees are not affected by heatwaves or droughts because they’re deeply rooted in the river. And that can be each one of us too!
I get it. Droughts are hard to get through. But, as we trust in God, He can help us withstand even the harshest of circumstances. He helps us thrive, even when things aren’t the way we wish them to be.
“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You, my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1
I’ve been in my share of droughts. One year, while working at a camp in Northern California, we had restricted shower times. Here in Texas, we’ve had restrictions on watering our yards for years, resulting in a dismal yard by the time August rolls around.
Droughts can affect us personally. What do you hunger to see happen in your life that hasn’t happened? Have you endured excessive stress and little rest? Have you faced ongoing personal challenges? Are you going through intense work demands? It can feel overwhelming to face any one of these drought-like circumstances! We are left feeling depleted or empty.
It’s very tempting to let my droughts affect my spirit, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It affects everything. It’s times like this, that I must reflect on how God has worked in my life in the past. I have to remember that He is still a good God and has my best interests in mind. Over the years, I’ve been drawn so much to this verse in Jeremiah 17:7-8 that describes a person who trusts in the Lord:
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is in the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
The passage paints a picture of those who trust God and have confidence in Him no matter what happens! He describes faithful people as being like trees that grow beside a river. Their roots extend to the deepest parts of the river and they are nourished by the water. I see those beautiful Willow trees along the Guadalupe River and picture this verse! The trees are not affected by heatwaves or droughts because they’re deeply rooted in the river. And that can be each one of us too!
I get it. Droughts are hard to get through. But, as we trust in God, He can help us withstand even the harshest of circumstances. He helps us thrive, even when things aren’t the way we wish them to be.
“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You, my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1
Take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taLDKHfpHsE
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
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