Matthew 8:23-27 NIV — Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

I love to sit and watch the ocean. I take comfort in the constant sound of the waves hitting the shore and the promise of its consistency. The ocean is ever changing just like life. Some days the ocean is rough, choppy, and turbulent. Sometimes we can see cloudy skies forming or have the prediction of a massive hurricane heading our way and we have time to prepare and brace ourselves for the impending storm. However, sometimes storms roll in seemingly from nowhere and catch us by surprise. 

How do you respond to the storms of life? How do you react when you are caught by surprise by a storm? To whom do you turn for comfort, strength, and guidance? Just as we can depend on the consistency of the ocean waves and the constant sound of the  pounding waves, we can be sure of the presence of God. Our Almighty Father is always with us, always guiding us, and always working to calm the storms around us or to calm us.

Listen to the song Sometimes He Calms the Storm by Scott Krippayne and take comfort in the promise that no matter what, God is with you.

Let’s pray. Dear Almighty God, thank You for your constant presence in my life. May the consistent pounding of ocean waves remind me of Your everlasting love and guidance. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Read and meditate on this week’s featured scriptures.

Matthew 8:23-27 NIV — Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 14:22-33 NIV —  Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Psalm 188:24 ESV — This is the day that the Lord has made;   let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭2‬ ‭ASV‬‬ — Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, That seek him with the whole heart.

Join us on YouTube for See You Saturday as we recap the week! Today we talk about the blessings of today, as well as our word for the year and previous years. Deborah and I had a little trouble remembering a certain word. It was relish. We hope you enjoy this video. Make sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube page. We challenge you to share our Water Walker’s blog with your friends and family.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.

How can we seek God with our whole hearts? How can we stay true to His commandments? How can we continually praise Him and learn from His word? One way that Deborah, Ray, and I find helpful is by selecting a word of the year that we can reflect on and be intentional with. 

I started this practice in 2018, my word being “rejoice” so that I would carry the Christmas joy with me all year through. In 2019 my word was “influence.” When I picked that word, I had no idea how God would use it but I was sure he would show off and He did. In 2020 my word was “gifts.” When I selected that word, I believed it would take on different meanings with different scriptures throughout the year. In 2021 my word was “refine.” I knew through my trials that I wanted God to refine me in the process. In 2022 my word was “serenity.” I knew I had a challenging year ahead and wanted the joy and peace of God to rule my heart and mind. In 2023 my word was “love” because of the unconditional love of God that I continually strive to overflow into others. In 2024 my word has been “seek” as I desire to seek God first and be a kingdom seeker for His glory. Do you have a word of the year? If yes, we would love for you to share it with us. If you don’t, it is never too late to start.

Let’s pray. Dear God, I desire to seek you with my whole heart. Through my word of the year practice, I strive to draw closer to You. I give You all the glory, honor, and praise as I share Your goodness with others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭2‬ ‭ASV‬‬ — Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, That seek him with the whole heart.

There are many different artists with many different music genres that perform at Winter Jam. As each artist would come to the stage they would sing and give us a testimonial message. We all have a testimony to share. For some, it is how we became a Christian, our struggles with depression, addiction, divorce, wandering away from God, and more.

I encourage you to worship God with God Is In This Story by Katy Nichole and Big Daddy Weave. God is in every detail of our stories. Will you bless others with your story and your testimony? Don’t know what to say? Take a moment to jot a few bullet points on a note card. Keep it in your car, purse, or wallet so you’re ready when God calls you to share.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for being in the midst of my story. Help me to always be ready to share my story and my testimony to those who need to hear it. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭1‬ ‭ASV‬‬ — Blessed are they that are perfect in the way, Who walk in the law of Jehovah.

On Sunday I encouraged you to worship with “I’m So Blessed” by Cain. Today I want us to expand on the lyrics, “Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God. On my worst day, I’m a child of God.” 

In the American Standard Version of today’s Psalms, the word “perfect” is used. Other versions use words like “blameless,” “integrity,” “stay on course,” “faultless,” and more. None of us are perfect. Recently I gave into fear and worry. My very wise friend reminded me that as a Water Walker, I’ve got to walk the water walker’s walk and talk the water walker’s talk, meaning I’ve got to walk and talk in the way of the Lord even when I experience fear and worry.

How are you walking today? Are you walking on water or hiding at the water’s edge? How are you talking today? Are you speaking positively or are you giving Satan room at your table? Be reminded, whether it’s your best day or your worst day, you are a child of God and so blessed.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Godly friends that hold me accountable. I surrender my fears and worry over to You. Help me not to pick them back up. Today I will choose to walk and talk in the way You have for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.