I met Lisa Hall-Wilson through church and then at our writer’s club. We didn’t realize we both loved to write until our first WWC meeting. From there our friendship has grown. Lisa writes full time (check out her bio at the end of the blog), is married, and has three children. And…Lisa just recently won an award in the news article category at the Canadian Christian Writing Awards. Congrats Lisa! So proud of you.

I’m honoured to have Lisa write a guest blog for me. Please leave a comment on my site for her. I know you’ll enjoy this piece. Be sure to watch the video at the bottom (warning: you may need a tissue!).

Thanks Lisa!

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What if…we danced in the rain?
It’s been a hot hot muggy week where I live. I waged war against the searing sun and humidity to keep my potted plants alive. I’ve stayed hidden inside with the air-conditioner going. But, all this heat means that eventually there’s a storm coming.

When I hear thunder I gather my pen and notebook and sit near an open window. I breathe in the smell of the coming rain, close my eyes to better feel the storm-bringing wind on my face. Those first few drops of warm summer rain hit me and I watch the lightning, writing as fast as I can before I have to shut the window. I always leave it open a crack so I can hear and smell the storm.

When my girls were small, 3 and 5, I noticed dark clouds roll in, and half an hour later the wind picked up. I could smell the coming rain. My girls had left some favorite toys in the backyard, so I sent them outside to retrieve the toys before the rain started while I shut all the windows. They had just begun the return trip across the yard, toys in hand, when the loudest crack of thunder I’ve ever heard honestly shook the house and rattled the windows.

My babies stood frozen in the yard screaming in terror, hands over their ears. I called to them from the window to come inside, but they just cried for me to rescue them. Another clap of thunder sounded before I could get to the door. The second boom had them running for the house, tears streaming down their faces. Amid the sniffles and the sobs, I held their hands and walked them to the big picture window in our living room. I crouched down and gathered them close. Their little frames shook and they clutched their toys tight. Outside, we saw people on the street watching the sky, walking faster with their shoulders hunched.

I told my girls that thunder was just God’s voice reminding all his children to run, get inside quick, the rain is coming. Thunder boomed again. My girls just stared at the people on the street. I’ve wondered what was going through their minds. A few minutes later, a thick drenching curtain of rain streamed off the roofs, down the street, and beat down the plants in my garden. The rain dried their tears.

Ever after, when my girls heard thunder they’d run to the window and yell at the people outside to hurry and get inside. Couldn’t they hear God warning them? It’s going to rain.

Some storms in life God warns us about, he wraps his arms around us and shelters us from the wind and rain and hail. Sometimes we get caught in the storm. Whether we saw the storm gathering and just had no place to take shelter, or we never saw it coming – no one likes getting drenched, shaken by thunder and pushed by the wind.

There is a time to mourn and a time to dance.

What if we looked for the blessings in the rain? What if we looked to the storm for healing? What if we tipped our faces to the heavens, spread out our arms, and danced in the rain? When was the last time you did that? When was the last time you caught a rain drop on your tongue?

Not to make light of hard times, that’s not my point, but God is there in the rain and thunder too. He’s with us in the storms, but it’s easy to forget when we’re frozen in the yard clutching our most precious possessions begging to be rescued. But it can’t rain forever. Storms will look different for different people, and one person’s downpour will be another’s sun shower. Search out the blessings in it because God is there too.

Felicia & Jenna (at ages 3 & 5)


Lisa’s bio:
Life has taught me that sometimes bad things happen, sometimes the bully wins, and sometimes no one hears no matter how loud you scream, but through my stories and articles – I have a voice. I blog Through the Fire because I’m convinced the truth sets you free. I’m a freelance writer specializing in profiles, social justice stories, and interviews.

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