Read Matthew 8:23-27

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” … Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.—Matthew 8:25-26 (NIV)

Until my sister passed away, she would send me El Aposento Alto, the Spanish-language edition of The Upper Room. Last summer, another sister sent a copy of the magazine to me. Little did I know what a source of blessing and strength it would be at that particular time. On Sept. 20, 2017, Maria, a Category 4 hurricane, hit Puerto Rico. The 16 hours my family and I spent huddled in our home were terrifying, and we prayed for God’s mercy. Words can barely describe the difficulty of the subsequent weeks and months.

However, each morning I reached for El Aposento Alto because I knew that in it I would find a message of strength and blessing. God’s messages sustained us as we waited in the very long lines to purchase food, water, or oil to supply light during the long hours of darkness. Reading El Aposento Alto each day was the perfect way to share God’s love with my family, especially with my son. He had been in the process of working on his doctoral thesis. Not knowing how the storm’s aftermath would affect his studies increased his anxiety. But reading God’s word each day renewed our spirits as we began to see our situation slowly improve. We knew we could move forward each day because God was by our side.

Prayer—Ever-present God, when we call out to you in distress, you hear our prayers. Give us strength to face the hard times. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Thought for the day—God’s sure refuge is stronger than any storm.