higher still

some of life's storms
a great sorrow
a bitter disappointment
a crushing defeat
suddenly come upon us

trouble that can seem so insignificant
spreads until it covers the sky
and overwhelms us

yet it is in the storm
that god equips us for service

when god wants an oak tree
he plants it where the storms
will shake it
and the rains
will beat down on it

when god makes a person
he puts him into a storm

the history of humankind
has always been rough
and rugged

no one is complete
until he has been out into
the surge of the storm
and has found the glorious fulillment
of the prayer

take me
break me
make me

the beauties of nature come after the storm
the rugged beauty of the mountain
is born in the storm

and the heroes of life
are the storm swept
battle scarred

you have been in the storms
and swept by raging winds

have they left you broken
weary, and beaten in the valley
or have they lifted you
to the sunlit summits of a richer
deeper, more abiding person

have they left you with more sympathy
for the storm swept and the battle scarred

yes...they most definitely have...

___________________________________________

the wind that blows
can never kill

the tree god plants
it blows toward east
and then toward west

the tender leaves have little rest
but any wind that blows is best

the tree that god plants
strikes deeper root
grows higher still