Dear Church Family,

As previously stated, this year has been an exceptionally windy one. Week after week, the gusts seemed relentless, bending trees, stirring up dust, and testing my patience. I must admit, just a few weeks ago, I found myself grumbling against the endless wind, longing for a calm and peaceful day.

But God, in His gentle way, taught me a lesson.

This morning, as I took my usual walk, the air was still — blissfully still — but soon I was harassed by buffalo gnats. They’re here…(cue the little girl in front of the TV). They swarmed and nipped, making what I had hoped would be a peaceful stroll into a battle. I burned as much energy waving my arms as moving my legs. It didn’t take long for me to long for that very wind I had been lamenting not long before. As it turns out, the wind had been doing a hidden work: it had been keeping those pesky gnats at bay for the last few days.

How often does this happen in our lives? We grumble against the "winds" — the challenges, the hardships, the irritations — only to later realize they were serving a purpose we couldn’t yet see. In the moment, the discomfort seems pointless. But in time, we see that God was working even through what we found unpleasant.

The Apostle Paul reminds us, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV). Notice Paul doesn't say to give thanks for all circumstances, but in them — trusting that God is using every gust of wind, every unexpected turn, for our good.

Romans 8:28 further strengthens this promise: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Even the wind — literal and metaphorical — can be a blessing.

Let’s be a people who cultivate thankfulness, not just when life is calm and easy, but even when the winds blow hard. God is always at work, often in ways we won’t see until much later. May we trust Him in every season — windy or still — knowing His purposes are always for our good and His glory.

Loving you all, 

Michael