Berwick Thought for the Week article: Storms of Life
This Thought for the Week article has been written by Rev Kirsten Coulter – she is a retired teacher, mental health support worker and a non-stipendiary priest in the Church of England.
Headline Warnings:
“The remnant of a hurricane X, or alternatively, named storm X, will bring heavy rain and 70-80 miles an hour high winds!”
“Check now to see if you are vulnerable for flooding!”
“Next summer may be even hotter!”
“There will be a widespread drought!”
“None of the government policies could prevent the coming recession.”
“Fuel and power prices will rise again!”
“There will be food shortages!”
“Unemployment is at an all-time high!”
“New strain of COVID!”
“World War 3 is looming on the horizon, we are unprepared!”
“There could be cyber-attacks; and all electronic communication will be useless!”
Doom and gloom – How do we react?
Tie down any moveable items in the garden?
Rush out and panic buy tinned and dried food, toilet rolls and bottled water?
Stock up on paper money?
Stick our heads in the sand and hope it will all go away?
Lie awake at night and worry?
Rear carrier pigeons?!
Pray? – We all do when we’re desperate!
Mark 4:37-39 “Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So, they woke Him and said, ‘Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?’ Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. ‘Silence!’ He commanded. ‘Be still!’ And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.”
Rev Kirsten Coulter is a widow, living with two elderly rescue dogs. She is now supporting the leadership of Waypoint Church in Berwick. This is an independent, all-age, community church.