Raging, Bulwark, Stotterized, Go Deep, Light Still Shines

 Master the Tempest is Raging

As we were out on our morning walk/jog this last week, we were surprised to see the North Sea in great commotion.  The hymn, "Master the Tempest is Raging", came rushing into our minds.  Once you get a tune in your mind, sometimes it is difficult to remove it.  

Master the tempest is Raging

1. Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?

[Chorus]

2. Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today.
The depths of my sad heart are troubled.
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul,
And I perish! I perish! dear Master.
Oh, hasten and take control!

[Chorus]

 [Chorus] The winds and the waves shall obey thy will: Peace, be still.

Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, be still; peace, be still.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, peace, be still.

Text: Mary Ann Baker, 1831–192, Music: H. R. Palmer, 1834–1907

As we witnessed such great waves and power in the surf and journeyed along on top of the concrete bulwark which led along the seashore above the waves, a new hymn began to emerge in our minds:  "Standing on the Promises of God." 

We felt the safety of standing on the concrete bulwark and enjoyed only observing the tempest without having to be in it.  When we stand on the promises we have made with God we are protected.  Even if we may be in the midst of tumultuous experiences, we can have the comfort and peace that we will get through them.  Honor your covenants and get through the rage of life with peace in your heart.

Standing on the Promises of God

1 Standing on the promises of Christ, my King,

Through eternal ages let his praises ring;

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

Standing on the promises of God.

[Refrain]

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail.

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

  [Refrain]

3 Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,

Bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,

Overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,

Standing on the promises of God.

[Refrain]

4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

List'ning ev'ry moment to the Spirit's call,

Resting in my Savior as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God. 

[Refrain]

[Refrain] Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I'm standing on the promises of God.

Russell Kelso Carter (1886)

Called, and Chosen, and Faithful

Every 6 weeks we have a transfer and missionaries may or may not be transferred to new areas.  We just completed a transfer last week and only lost our district leader Tanner Stott, who was transferred to the south of the mission to serve as a Zone Leader.  Elder Stott is from Worland, Wyoming and has been an excellent district leader.  The district leader chooses the name of the messenger chat group for when he is its leader. Our Alnwick district operated under the banner: "Called, and Chosen and Faithful" on Instant Messenger.  Because several of the Elders and Sister were 'poorly' (the English word for 'feeling sick') we had our last district meeting via Zoom (from upper left--Elder Stott, Elder Keith, Elder and Sister B, from lower left-- Sister Barnard, Sister Moss, Elder Ward, Elder Suyama)

In district council we talked about the analogy of sin being like weeds in the garden of life.  We all must deal with weeds as we tend our garden.  It is easy to just chop off the tops of the weeds at the ground level. And it may appear that the weed is gone, but most of us recognize that the roots of the weed are still there lurking beneath the surface.  We need to dig below the surface and get the roots out if we are to truly rid our garden of the weed. If we don't get the roots out the weed continues to grow and even comes back stronger and is even more difficult to pull out thereafter.   So it is with our life and the sin-weeds that are there, we need to dig deep to find the roots and pull out all the root-causes with it if we are to truly change.  We are grateful for the Atonement of Our Savior that enables us to find and pull out the sin in our life with its hidden roots. 

43-Degree Motivation

Many celebrate the changing of the year as a time to commit to positive change in their lives.  There is a very popular practice in many areas and we have seen it here to where the new year is celebrated with a "polar plunge", so we saw on the banks of the North Sea this last week.  Maybe a polar plunge will wake us up to the need to make change (The average temperature of the North Sea this time of year is 43 degrees F).  

The Light Still Shines Above Every Storm

We are reminded that with every stormy day the light or love of our Saviour and Heavenly Father still shine brightly above the storm.  Find the spot where you can see the light and feel their love.