Acts 27:22, 41, 43-44 “But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down.” … But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart….. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held onto planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.
I promised Paul that everyone would survive the storm. And they all did. But, they did not just float happily in the ship to the nearest beach. No, the ship ran aground, was battered into pieces and everyone was overboard, making their way as best they could to dry ground. It was not pretty. It was not easy. It was a struggle – a struggle for survival. But survive they did. Each and every one of them, just as I promised. See, Child. I keep My promises. But My promises do not always come wrapped up with a bow. The journey is often tiring, difficult, a struggle. Sometimes it is such a struggle you do not see how you can make it. But, I have promised. And if I have promised, you will come out of it all not only ok, but better for the journey. Breathe. I have not gone away. No, things are not “better” yet. But they are fine. Your bills are paid. You have food and transportation when you need it. Others are stepping up and offering you help. You are learning to allow them to help. My promises are often delivered by the people around you. You have been on your own for so long, you do not know how to allow others in to help you. You have been mistreated and taken advantage of by so many that you do not trust others to see your needs, your pain, you weaknesses. You are learning that I have given you a new family, a set of people that you can trust, that will not take advantage of your current weakness to do you harm. Keep allowing yourself to trust those that I have given you as friends and family. I am in this. I have chosen them. Remember what you learned many years ago: not allowing others to help is cutting them off from the blessings I have for them. You know how much your heart and soul are fed when you minister to others. Allow others to minister to you and, in doing so, position them to receive those same blessings from Me. Your solitude has not allowed you to participate in the reciprocity of human life – as I designed it to be. If you wish to be a blessing to others, you must allow them to be a blessing to you. It does not work as I meant it to any other way.
Amanuensis 