Surrounded By Storms

By: Megan Chewning

SURROUNDED BY STORMS

Growing up in Florida, I am all too

familiar with afternoon storms.

The weather is unpredictable at best. You often see memes on social media making fun of how quickly the weather can change here in just a few minutes.

If you enjoy being out on the water, you know to always be prepared for a storm or two in the summer. No matter how well you plan it, there’s always that chance of getting caught in the rain. This summer has been no different than any other. Several boat charters have been booked on days where the forecast looks great and then the weather changes just before going out.

We had two charters booked recently and both looked gloomy when we got to the boat ramp. As we prepared to get the boat in the water and for our customers to arrive, I had a pit in my stomach. I kept checking the radar, looking for a glimmer of hope that the storm would pass. Many other boaters were coming in trying to quickly get their boat out of the water before the storm hit. I, of course, start second guessing whether we should just call the customer and cancel thinking about what the repercussions would be if we did.

The first charter happened to be friends of ours, so I knew they would understand. They were local, so rescheduling

with them would not be an issue although it took months for us to get this on the books with their busy schedules. I felt bad knowing they were so excited to have a night out on the water. Although Captain Ben and I did not want to make that call, we both knew they trusted our judgment when it came to going out on the water.

The other charter was a bit different. Our client had family in town only for that week. She booked the charter months in advance and had been looking forward to showing her family a good time while they were here. Canceling this one meant there would not be another chance to take them out. The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint her and her family; however I knew being caught in a storm, on a boat, would not be a good experience for them.

Captain Ben and I were praying for the storms to clear so we could take them out, and so our customers could have a good time on the water. We thought for sure they would want to cancel, seeing as how we were surrounded by storms with little glimpses of sun peaking through the clouds. Both customers, however, came to the boat ramp with positive attitudes, determined to go out, looking to us to navigate through it all. We spoke to the customers, warned them of the inevitable, and they both agreed to, trust Captain Ben’s plan. Both

days on the water ended up being some of the calmest seas we’ve ever seen! The gulf was like glass making the ride smooth and enjoyable. The water was clear making it easy to see aquatic life passing us by. It cooled off from the scorching 90 something degrees. The storm clouds stayed inshore, allowing us to show our customers a great time out on the water.

In situations like this, it’s so easy to allow fear and anxiety to take over. The “what ifs’’ start creeping in, especially when it’s not just you on the boat. In these times, we need to remember who created the storms and the seas. The Bible reminds us in Psalms 107:29 that God calms the storms and stills the waves with just a whisper. It goes on to say in verse 28 what a blessing that stillness is. Being out on the calm water those days, seeing the storm clouds in the distance and feeling the sun at my back, I am reminded that we have a God who the wind and the seas obey with just a word from His lips. When Jesus calmed the storm in the boat, as it is told in Matthew 8, he asked his disciples, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” (NLT) The moment fear creeps in when we see the storm clouds rolling in, ask yourself why it is that you’re afraid and trust that He will guide you to safety.

58 BETTER OFF WET | JULY 2022