By
Dana Rausch
/ July 14, 2014
The day began like so many others, bright and sunny. With a skip in my step I began my to-do list. As I traveled from place to place, I observed the white puffy clouds in the distance. They contrasted against the bright blue sky.
Returning home at lunch time I began working in my office. Later noticing the room had grown dim. Peering out the window those puffy white clouds had turned into dark ominous thunderclouds. I went to the back door and saw the wind had picked up considerably. Then I observed the wall of sand building in intensity moving my direction. I knew we were in for a major dust storm.
Dust storms are caused by strong winds flowing downward and outward from thunderstorm clouds. All thunderstorms produce gusty winds, but a sand storm begins when it is in a place where the winds can pick up small particles of dirt or sand in a dry desert area. The upward motion of the gusty winds added with turbulent motions within the strong winds stirs up the dust into a layer several thousand feet thick thus creating a rolling wall of dust. Within minutes that wall of dust will engulf everything and the effect is vast. It blocks our view, leaves us immobilized and coated in dust.
It reminds me of a recent relationship.
Just like the day started, so did the friendship. It began easy going and fun with no thought of it being a snare. The relationship grew, as did the trust and a seemingly mutual bond was forming.
Yet something was taking place on the horizon. 
Like those white clouds building in the distance, a stirring began inside me. As I pondered why, I sensed something not right. Similar to seeing white puffy clouds expanding, my sense of trouble arose.
Interestingly (and in hindsight revealing) when I began to ask questions to bring clarity to certain things, those white puffy clouds turned dark and ominous quickly. I didn’t realize by being in their presence I was causing an emotional stirring inside them. And like the turbulent winds in the sand storm, small particles of hurt, pain and dark secrets were being unearthed.
They didn’t like it one bit.
Their personal storm intensified as their winds picked up speed. And deception came at them from all sides. Furthermore the winds from my own insecurities and feelings of inadequacy were creating an upheaval of issues. And the rolling dust storm was inevitable when both sides converged on each other.Remarkably, what the destructive dust storm did was unearth hidden secrets that had been undetected in both of us.
I wanted to hide the following things:
· I feel insecure.
· I lack confidence.
· I am afraid.
· I feel stupid.
Any time someone or something threatened to expose my inadequacies a storm began to develop. And Lord have mercy, if you got caught in the middle of it.
This storm has left its mark and may take some time to clean up the damage. I can still feel sand in my teeth, wind-chapped lips and my hair blown to smithereens. But that is okay for healing takes time. I am grateful that through storms I learn to view and accept things differently causing much needed growth.
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deut. 31:8