On stormy days, we may wonder if it was such a good idea to live so close to the stream. We may even wish God would just leave us alone. Yet if the torrent sweeps away the things that are not spiritually rooted, then even that is a grace. Remember, the point of God's grace is not to be nice to us. Grace does what we cannot do for ourselves. It carries us home to God. Sometimes on a gentle stream. Sometimes on a raging river. Yet always back to God. -- M. Craig Barnes.




we hopped the fence down the path to the gorges by my dorm. it had just finished raining, so the river was raging -- crashing down the rocks, piercing its way through into the emptying lake. we stopped at a point near the bottom, right where we almost feel the water bouncing back from the rocks.

it was loud yet calm at the same time.
God kept whispering, This is what grace in your life looks like right now.


it's a raging river that tears apart all pride and rooted sin and filth.
but always back to Him.