THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

It’s a whisper that started with shaking. I felt as if God whispered a message to me beginning with the recent earthquake. I’ve pondered the message as if I have just enough knowledge of another language to know there are exciting words involved, but I don’t quite have the actual translation. I’m perplexed, but impressed that a message is bubbling up deep from my soul, and the message is good. Part of the message is that God is good, gloriously good, and totally beyond comprehension.

When the earthquake started, I was sitting in church between my daughter and my sister, and we were almost finished with a video lesson. As it hit, daughter Kelly bolted out the door toward her children, and I was close behind. While running toward them, my mind instantly replayed the out-of-controlness of the car accident that claimed our daughter Amy’s life just more than a year ago. I had to compose myself before facing my grandchildren. They never even felt the earthquake, and the only real aftershocks were in my emotions, which I shared quite freely with God.

I later read the part of the Bible study we missed due to the earthquake. One passage said, “... suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken.…” It seemed as though God orchestrated words that were written about an earthquake more than 2,000 years ago at just the exact moment of a present earthquake. Though we weren’t in prison, I realized how easy it is to be imprisoned by not trusting God about anything, earthquakes or other “lifequakes.” We are constantly surrounded by God’s power, His majesty and His miracles, each one proclaiming indeed that “God is!”

And you can quote me on that.

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached at cindy@onthegrow.com or 537 Newport Center Drive, Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.