Read: Mark 4:35-41

“Oh no!” Dad exclaimed as the car slid off the road and into a snowbank. The wind was strong, the snow was deep, and they were stuck!

Dad stepped on the gas pedal and tried to rock the car forward and then back. Nothing happened. So Mom got behind the wheel and Dad, Olivia, and Nina tried to push it free. But it was stuck tight.

Dad sighed heavily. “Last winter I bought a shovel to keep in the trunk in case something like this happened, but then we had such a mild winter that I never needed it. Last spring I put it in the garage—it’s still there.”

Mom pulled out her phone and made a call. Then she flicked on the emergency flashing lights. “I’m afraid we’ll have to wait a while before help can get here,” she said.

She was right. It seemed like a very long time before help arrived, but eventually they were back on the road. “I’m putting that shovel in the trunk the moment we get home,” Dad said as they drove. “While we were waiting, I was thinking about how important it is to be prepared. I was wondering how prepared we would be if we got caught in one of life’s storms.”

“One of life’s storms?” Olivia asked.

“Yes. Think about this,” said Dad. “Up to now, the winter has been mild, so I didn’t pack a shovel. And when things in life are going smoothly, we sometimes forget how much we need Jesus and aren’t as motivated to pray and read His Word. But sooner or later we’re going to be challenged with a storm in life—a difficult problem or time of hardship. We need to be prepared for stormy weather in life, just like on the road.”

“So how do we prepare for life’s storms?” asked Nina.

“When we pray, read the Bible, and go to church, it helps us remember that Jesus died and rose again for us and that He’s always with us,” said Dad. “As we grow in our faith, we’ll be prepared to depend on Him for help when life gets stormy.”

Nina smiled. “We should pray and thank Jesus for helping us through that snowstorm. That will help us remember He’s with us through life’s storms too!”

–Nance E. Keyes

How about you? Are you preparing for whatever may happen in life? If you trust in Jesus, He will always be with you and help you through whatever storms life brings. But sometimes it’s easy to forget that, especially when things are going smoothly. Spending time with Jesus and growing in your relationship with Him will help you remember to trust and depend on Him—not only when life gets stormy, but all the time!

Today's Key Verse: [Jesus] called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” John 6:20 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Be prepared for life’s storms