If I asked you to find a location where a man walked on water, caught hundreds of fish, taught thousands of people, and calmed raging seas, what would your answer be?
[Here’s a hint: It starts with Sea and ends with Galilee.]
Much is said of Jesus’ work on the Sea of Galilee. If you’ve been to Sunday School or VBS, then I’m positive you’ve heard of at least one of His amazing acts either at sea, on shore, or on water… as in literally walking on it. So you can imagine it’s one of my favorite places in the whole world to visit. To be so close to the actual places where Jesus taught, worked, slept, and served is… well, it’s magical. Better yet, it’s miraculous because He is still in the business of doing miracles today.
On our recent trip to Israel, we spent three days in the Galilee region and on our final day in the area, we boarded a ship and sailed the sea much like Jesus would’ve done many years ago. Matt–trip leader, coordinator of chaos, and my husband–asked me to teach at this location, but more importantly to create a defining moment on the water.
We turned to Mark 4:35-40 and read five short scriptures as we sat in our boat gently rocking on the water.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Think about it. The disciples were scared because their life was on the line. We can read the expression furious squall and not think much because come on, who really uses those words? King James died so let’s use the BIV [Bianca International Version] to break this down: there was a major rager on water and their boat [and their world] was being ROCKED!
What did they feel?
- Scared
- Confused
- Alone
- Overwhelmed
- Terrified
Eight of the small crew were professional fishermen. As in, these people had sailed the sea for y.e.a.r.s. and knew that particular sea since childbirth. They were experts but as we see in scripture, the experts didn’t know what to do.
Don’t you care if we drown?
It’s a simple question but loaded with pain that, if we’re honest, we can empathize with. When the storms of life rage, when you feel like you’re drowning, have you ever asked, Do you care that I’m going to die? Don’t you see that I’m drowning?
Five years ago I sat on a similar boat on that exact sea and felt overwhelmed by the storms of life. My mother was towards the end of her fight with brain cancer and I felt like I was drowning, suffocated by the waves of life. Teacher, do you not care if we drown?
Five years later I’m standing on exact dock about to board our boat and teach about how Jesus was faithful and forever true and can calm all storms of life and healed my mother when I received a text message from my sister stating that mom had to go back to the oncologist because she is experiencing her cancer symptoms.
I felt like the air had been kicked out of my stomach. My eyes filled with tears and I told Matt that I couldn’t teach, I couldn’t talk about this because it was too emotional to talk about something that feels like the beginning of a raging storm in my life. Again.
But as we pulled out from dock and began to sing worship music, I remembered that Jesus is still faithful and forever true and can calm all the storms of life. In that moment, I heard the same question that Jesus asked His disciples on that exact sea I sailed on, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
My heart poured open in the few minutes I taught on this passage and realized that thousands of years later, He’s still asking us if we have faith to weather the storms of life.
What are the storms you are faced with today? What are the problems that are breaking over the bow of your life that are drowning you? Whatever you are facing and feeling like God is sleeping while you’re drowning in the sea, know that He is not far from you but with you. He asked you to get in the boat like He asked the disciples to. He is more skilled than the experts and more confident than the professionals. He is Jesus, the man who performed miracles then and now.
Mom has met with three different doctors in the last five days and has an appointment with her neuro-oncologist on Monday. The miracle wasn’t that my mom was instantaneously healed. The miracle was that I believed that if He could calm the storms of my life five years ago, He could do it again. Faith–not cancer–was my storm.
What is your storm? Why are you still afraid?
Love you.
Believing in miracles of all sizes right along side you. Your Mom’s story is so powerful and has brought so many through pain to comfort and deeper into faith. There are so many more miracles yet to come in the chapters ahead – and they are joyeous and Spirit-filled chapters. For all of you.
Love you too. And thank you.
My eyes fill with tears as I read this post. My heart has been in and out of a storm for the last three years. I KNOW that God is SOVEREIGN. I KNOW that God is GOOD. My Dad passed away three years ago and several things have happened since then that, in my mind, had he been here “none of this would have happened”. In those moments I have felt much like the discples running to Jesus saying “AREN”T YOU GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS?” And then being humbled as I remembered “He’s always been there. He’s always been faithful. He’s always been true. He’s been more than a provider and comforter…..and He’ll do it AGAIN!
Thank you for your story and that gentle reminder of just how big our God is.
Sal came home Friday from church and told me the news. Saturday morning on my run, I questioned why? My heart hurt… Then a song came on and reminded me that He is the unfailing God. The same God that healed her then is the same as today.
In the last few days I realized that my fears are in the faith I lack as well.. I love you guys and will continue to pray fervently for you all and healing on your momma!
Xoxo,
Mon
Praying for you all, Bianca.
This post spoke VOLUMES to me!
I feel like I’m fighting against being taken through a storm. Today, I cried. I cried to Jesus in surrender and asked Him to prepare me, equip me and even settle me! Today, with Jesus as my Peace, I choose to stand in faith.
I love you, BB. I love, Momma Millie. I praying for you all!
When Pastor Pancho told us on Friday, I couldn’t hold back tears. I’m amazed at the strength and faith that shines in each member of the Juarez clan. Cancer has recently taken hold of a family friend’s body, and she’s desperately trying to live. Cancer is such a reminder that we’re not here to stay, and also a reminder that our time here is so precious. Praying that the God that walked on water and parted the Red Sea and rose the dead shows His mighty power over your mommy and my friend, Lupita. Love you, B!
Bianca,
Millie is an inspiration to many… I myself can’t thank her enough for her encouragement throughout my cancer… I seen her two weeks ago nd was telling her how I doing with my treatments not knowing wat she’s been going thru nd there she was still motivating me… It saddened me wen I got the news but the faith she holds is mighty… The Lord did a miraculous healing before nd his miracles will continue… I will have ur mom in prayer!!
Thank you so much for your openness and sharing with us all …. God has an amaIng way of tying everything in at his perfect timing. Reason I say this is because I am currently in a 3 year storm , my mom has been bating cancer since 2011. My life has transformed and it has taken a toll on my whole life and I have been anxious, furious, hurt so depressed and I have ask God are you there? Do you not care? How can I praise you if you’re not listening!?!! Is what I’ve cried until the day came for me to let go truly allow him to show me his mercy just by giving me a sense of peace in trusting in him. My mother is ill and bed ridden and my desire is that I may have the opportunity to have her by my side just a bit longer to bless here I cry out to him and hope that she may be miraclusly healed and I promise you that hearing about your mom I will pray for her and my moms healing and an opportunity to witness yet again another glorifying miracle. God bless you Bianca and family
Praying for you, your Mom and your family Bianca. Love and prayers.
Allie
Wow…
Faith is my storm. -Faith that my husband will allow God to put his broken heart back together (after failed business deals and the loss of his mother.) -Faith that I will lead a healthy life. -Faith that I am strong enough to lead other multi-passionate women. -Faith that I am who God created me to be an nothing less.
I am praying for you, your mother, and your family. And, that He will continue to use you and the story of your mother to inspire others to be faithFUL.
Best!
nakeia