Coffee Chatter: Season - 1

By Albert Huizing IV

Reading Albert Huizing’s “Coffee Chatter Season One” is an inspiring stroll through memory lane. So many of Albert’s stories of his family and history bring back fond reminders of how family’s face and succeed through everyday struggles; this book is supported by decades of deep, faith-filled, friendship with God and those around him. It is the essence of Albert’s faith that shines through with brilliant clarity on every page that is a wonderful testament of a profound, abiding reliance on Jesus Christ through both the good and bad, and the highs and lows of the extraordinary adventure of an ordinary life.” The Honorable Richard Cebra, Maine Legislator.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664227712

Albert Huizing IV

He is both an American and a Canadian citizen living in PEI, Canada....a CanAmerican? He grew up in a Christian family, in one of the largest and oldest Reformed communities in America located on the east coast of the U.S.A. He attended Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI for pre-Law – consisting of Religion, Theology and Philosophy. Upon graduation, he moved back to his hometown in New Jersey which allowed him the freedom to work in Youth Ministry. He met his wife while working in a Christian Single’s Ministry in 1987 and she has radically changed the way he thinks and does Christianity (he calls her "my grace note"; she has a Doctorate in English Education). His wife’s inspiration and energy over the past 35 years has spurred him on to be involved in a number of large and small church, youth group settings. He moved, briefly to Vermont in 2008 but in 2011, he was hired as the Director of Youth Ministry in a church on Prince Edward Island, Canada. As the world keeps changing, so does the way we do Youth Ministry. One of his biggest blessings is that after all that time he still loves working with youth. His life has consisted of a number of plateaus that God has faithfully guided him and his family through. Although, youth ministry began for him, almost 35 years ago the energy and dynamics of that group sparked a desire within him that has remained and flourished throughout his entire life; a passion to implant a Biblical worldview into the hearts and minds of young men & women who will become Christian leaders of tomorrow. He has been directly involved in the growth of 7 different Christian schools in 2 different countries. God has used his talents in his community, in business, in Christian education and in Church through areas of music, coaching, administration (board of directors - Pres. & VP, council), fund-raising, public speaking, church education & training, and youth ministries. He has experienced mountains of faith by traveling through valleys of despair. In 2014, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which has been a whole new cluster of challenges to overcome. Yet, as he continues his life's journey with God by his side, the Lord continues to bless him and his family, holding them tightly in the palm of His hand, while giving him a renewed faith, as he is even more convinced, each day, of God’s overwhelming love.

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 Albert Huizing IV.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher

make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book

and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained

in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Albert Huizing IV

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©

1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights

reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are

trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2770-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2769-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2771-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021905464

WestBow Press rev. date:  04/26/2021

Dedication

I began this book as a legacy to leave with my children (and their children, and their children’s children), to have and to hold, and to remember to embrace and pass on some of those values that their mom and I have tried to plant and nourish in their lives. At times, because of my degenerative diseases I was fearful that I would not finish in time (June 26, 2020 – my heart stops and I am legally dead for 3 ¹/2 minutes) - always with my own personal mantra echoing in the background of my thoughts

— DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! DO NOT BE ANXIOUS!

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! —

As I finished and read through SEASON 1, I realized that this is actually more than just a family history of values which God had so precisely and meticulously etched into my heart and soul for MY family ONLY (now, that would be extremely selfish). Rather, it is a snapshot of both TRUTH & LOVE; (1) Truth in our lives that we attempt to share with those in our individual spheres of influence, because it’s a Kingdom Work TEAM effort; let’s face it, each one of us cannot personally reach the ENTIRE world. That would be the Santa Clause effect – How can Santa Clause stop and deliver a gift to EVERY house on the earth? – sorry to those moms & dads whose children still believe in Santa Clause. (2) Love, because this is all being orchestrated by God who has such intense and passionate love for each one of us, His creations.

Acknowledgements

There were a number of people that encouraged the seeds to the creation and development to this book. All of whom deserve a very special thanks

The personal stories are from a collection of devotions that I wrote for my personal Blog between a period of almost 14 years; which is why I have plans to create 1 or 2 more Seasons (volumes) of reflective devotions such as the ones you are reading about in this book. There were a number of friends who suggested that I gather these selections (nuggets of my life) that told about my personal Christian growth and relationship with the Lord. Thank you specifically Laura Perry, Anne Laird & Les Schroder for reminding me to Press On. However, it was my oldest daughter who actually planted the seed and provided the spiritual nutrients for it to take shape and to grow into something truly amazing and meaningful. A Masterpiece that can been passed down through our family’s lineage. I could never had done this without the wonderful children and amazing wife that I shared these life changing experiences with and how I am constantly blessed and surrounded by their strong and solid Christian faith; a witness that each of them uniquely has within themselves, and are in living form the God-molded spiritual products of many of these experiences. Finally, I would like to say a special note of thanks to my own group of little minion editors – Pastor Timothy Brinkerhoff, Dr. Ellen Black, Neil Thompson, Pastor Jeff Eastwood, The Honorable Richard Cebra, Les Schroder and of course my Most Loved wife, Dr. Susanne Huizing who constantly is testing my limits and keeping me accountable and was always there to support me when I questioned the purpose of a devotional such as this.

Contents

DAY 1:     THE CREATOR’S ART

DAY 2:     GOD’S NAME

DAY 3:     COMFORT IN CHRIST

DAY 4:     WHITEWATER RAFTING

DAY 5:     UNDERSTANDING SIN’S DEPTH

AND OUR NEED FOR GRACE

DAY 6:     AT HIS FOOTSTOOL

DAY 7:     LOVE TOWARDS GOD

DAY 8:     FLOURISHING INGREDIENTS

DAY 9:     LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

DAY 10:   HEAVENLY PROVISIONS

DAY 11:   JUSTICE VS. FAIRNESS

DAY 12:   THE POWER OF PRAYER

DAY 13:   ENJOY THE JOURNEY

DAY 14:   PLANNING AHEAD

DAY 15:   TALENTS AND GIFTS

DAY 16:   GRACE NOTES

DAY 17:   WHAT IS YOUR AROMA?

DAY 18:   NEW AND FRESH

DAY 19:   CAMELS NEED WATER TOO!

DAY 20:   SUN GLARE

DAY 21:   NEW HOME IN HEAVEN

DAY 22:   HOLDING GOD’S HAND

DAY 23:   IMITATORS

DAY 24:   TWO NECESSARY LIFELINES:

PRAYER & GOD’S WORD

DAY 25:   UNPARALLELED CONTRADICTION

DAY 26:   GOD - GLORIFYING WORSHIP

DAY 27:   BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

DAY 28:   CONCEALED IN THE SHADOWS

DAY 29:   THE MATHEMATICS OF GOOD WORKS

DAY 30:   SHADOWS

DAY 31:   THE PERFECT MAN

DAY 32:   GIFT OF GRACE; GIFT OF MERCY

DAY 33:   FALLING INTO HIS HANDS

DAY 34:   NEW HOPE

DAY 35:   EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

DAY 36:   THE PLACE

DAY 37:   PERFECT IMPERFECTION

DAY 38:   LOVE OF MEASURING

DAY 39:   COLDEST NIGHT WALK

DAY 40:   FINISHING WELL

DAY 41:   CARNATION OR INCARNATION

DAY 42:   SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES

DAY 43:   MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN

DAY 44:   OUR SOLE NEGOTIATOR

DAY 45:   RENEWED STRENGTH

DAY 46:   PARADISE GOSPEL

DAY 47:   DR. JESUS?

DAY 48:   WINDOW FRAMERS

DAY 49:   UNSCALABLE ANXIETY

DAY 50:   FORTY: A TIME OF TESTING

DAY 51:   LOGOS

DAY 52:   PAYMENT NOT FOR EVERYONE

DAY 53:   MY GRANDCHILD IS LEAVING THE CHURCH

DAY 54:   DEPENDENCY, TALENTS AND CHOICES

DAY 55:   JUSTICE AND TRUTH

DAY 56:   NIGHT VISION

DAY 57:   EXPIRED SAINTS

DAY 58:   SECRETS

DAY 59:   RESISTENCE

DAY 60:   IDENTITY IN CHRIST

DAY 61:   SHEPHERD LEADER

DAY 62:   PERSPECTIVE

DAY 63:   FLEETING MOMENTS

DAY 64:   JOY IN HARDSHIP

DAY 65:   SMALL TOWN STONING

DAY 66:   PRESERVED BELIEVER

DAY 67:   WHAT IS IN A NAME?

DAY 68:   WHAT IS YOUR TALISMAN?

DAY 69:   PLANS AND WORDS

DAY 70:   PARENTING IN ACTION

DAY 71:   MEASURING MOUNTAINS

DAY 72:   STUMBLING BLOCK

DAY 73:   RECOGNIZING GOD

DAY 74:   FIRST FRUITS

DAY 75:   CONFIDENT CONCERN

DAY 76:   BOUGHT WITH A PRICE

DAY 77:   PETE AND REPEAT

DAY 78:   THE STRAIGHT ROAD

DAY 79:   DIFFERENT? REALLY?

DAY 80:   PATIENCE

DAY 81:   GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD

DAY 82:   CHEATERS

DAY 83:   WHAT DO I OWE?

DAY 84:   CARRYING OUR SORROWS

DAY 85:   EXPOSED TEACHING

DAY 86:   LIKE HIS BROTHERS

DAY 87:   ASSIGNMENT EARTH

DAY 88:   UNCERTAIN TIMES

DAY 89:   WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVIL?

DAY 90:   RELIANCE ON PRAYER

SEASON 1

Day One

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 … ."Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies."

THE CREATOR’S ART

When I was a freshman in high school, I decided to take a class in art. I probably took it because I thought it was going to be a workshop that was going to require little, if any, effort. Boy, was I wrong! Whether it was building with toothpicks, modelling with clay, ink-dotting silhouette facials, or painting beautiful acrylic landscapes, everything I attempted seemed to end up as a lump of mass destruction. It turned out to be the only class I ever had a failing mark in, which is ironic because I later went on to become a distinguished graphic designer and printer, with a very keen eye for color, organization, and technique. It just proves that high school success — or failure in my case — does not always dictate the future of your career destiny. Also, other than the lesson of not judging a class by its course description, I also learned another valuable lesson: that each person creates differently (according to his or her strengths, gifts, and talents) and that which each person produces, belongs to the creator of that creation. There is an instinctive pride for the final achievement. Because creating relies on intimate and innate character traits, the original piece reflects that of whom it was created by; plus, there is an emotional bond between the work of art and the creator.

We belong to our Creator and reflect His character, because He specifically formed each one of us with a specific and unique thumbprint of His omnipotent blueprint, since before the beginning of time. We are like twice-baked potatoes, because due to the Fall and the rejection of God in the garden, we had to be purchased a second time. God chose to buy back what already, rightfully, belonged to Him.

Originally, God made us to glorify Him, to reign over creation on Earth, and to spread His kingdom to the ends of the world. However, because we were fashioned to be creatures that serve and are always attracted to serving a Master, when we fell and sold ourselves to the world, the flesh, the Devil, and death (Rom. 7:14, Rom. 8:20–21, Heb. 2:15, 1 John 5:19), we just chained ourselves to those things which God hates. God had every right to abandon us. Yet, through utter love and pride for us, His creations, He was willing to purchase us a second time, which rubber stamps on our hearts that we are treasured possessions that God is committed to and not willing to give up so easily. While owing nothing to us, He chose at great cost to Himself, to pay our ransom, restoring the beauty and righteousness that we ourselves had traded in for the ugliness of sin. God allowed His enemies to take charge over us as a part of His wrath against sin, but by repossessing us, His ownership is restored and we are double stuffed with a guarantee, that we belong entirely to Him and are filled with the desire and willingness to varnish every action of our lives with the proclamation of His supreme and eternal glory for all creation to witness. By His purchase, He restored our status as His property, desiring and willing to live lives that reflect the magnificence of God’s glory.

One advantage of being married to a Doctor of English is that the dinner table can be the source of some pretty intriguing ideas and discussions. One such conversation that peeks its head up occasionally is the symbolism of Creator and Creation in Mary Shelley’s classical novel Frankenstein. Like mankind, the creature flees his creator and seeks to find meaning in his life, in areas that the creator despises. Rather than having grandiose dreams of achievement like his creator, the monster seeks meaning in more humble things. He seeks companionship, hoping that finding others who embrace him will give him reason for his existence. Unfortunately, he fails to find anyone to accept him; his ghastly appearance makes it impossible for others to accept him. The monster learns the same truth that we, Christians, finally realize - that it is impossible to self-create an ultimately fulfilling purpose for one’s own life. Being created, like Frankenstein, to serve the Creator, our true God-given purpose can only be to embrace that sole initiative: to serve Him, to give glory to Him and to love Him forever.

SEASON 1

Day Two

Isaiah 8:13…But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear and let him be your dread.

GOD’S NAME

Naming our children, I remember, was quite a monumental feat. We started off by purchasing a book that had every conceivable name in existence, neatly categorized by different headings, subjects, character traits, and anomalies (no easy online lists, since this was pre-cell phone, pre-internet and pre-wifi days). Also, each name had its own set of meanings and significances bound to it. So, the process was quite comprehensive to say the least.

After scrutinizing the thousands of lists of possibilities for hours, we finally and exhaustively narrowed down our choices to 10 names that my wife and I both liked. The first child was the most difficult since the siblings thereafter were mostly chosen from the leftovers on the two lists of ten that we had already agreed on. Even so, we still dusted off the baby name book with each pregnancy and gave a curious peek at the daunting lists. Also, until a boy was conceived, we already somewhat agreed that his name would follow the family line of succession (Albert V).

In the Bible, names had a much more prestigious honor affiliated with them than today’s child naming process. For instance, Adam means man from the earth, Abraham means father of many, Esther means star, and Jesus’ name means Savior. However, there are numerous names attributed to God and all of them are to be distinguished as holy. How we respect, fear, and approach God is a very serious affair. The third commandment does not merely ban irreverent titles for God, but throughout Scripture it actually instructs us to do the opposite, always using the holy name of God with admiration and awe.

A clear example of this is in Isaiah 7 and 2 Kings 16, when Syria tried to form an alliance with Israel to combat the Assyrian Empire. The Lord commanded Israel to be satisfied with God watching over and fighting for them, but King Ahaz had his own plan of action. Rather, he aligned with the Assyrian Empire and committed to alter his holy admiration of God to the approval of the Assyrian gods, to their worship practices and even as far as slapping God in the face by constructing altars to these other, new gods. It was most definitely a lesson of how NOT to honor the name of their covenant God, Jehovah. When we honor God, we demonstrate it by trusting in Him alone, even when outcomes don’t look promising from our perspective; it means striving to do ALL that He commands and everything that is according to His plans will be to define His glory in every situation that He is sovereign over.

Revering God’s name as holy is to trust in His promises and obey His commandments every day, not just when it seems favorable. He is holy and that stands out in our lives because we are completely and thoroughly unholy. This — and the fact that He is THE CREATOR — is what gives Him permission to rescue us from our fundamental unholiness, in any way that pleases His will. Once we realize this and embrace it, we are flooded with a feeling of wanting to please Him in everything we do.

Our children are approaching a junction in their lives in which they may soon experience the responsibility and joy of naming children of their own. Obviously, they will use different media and reference materials to aid in choosing those infant monikers that will probably stay attached to them for the rest of their lives. Hopefully, though, if we have passed on the spiritual baton of knowledge successfully, the significance will not be in the name, but in the character and identities that they will pass on to their children as sons and daughters of God.

NOTES:

SEASON 1

Day Three

Psalm 71:21…"You {O Lord} will increase my honor and comfort me once more."

COMFORT IN CHRIST

When I was younger, and just starting out on my own, I felt it was important to never get too comfortable. I kept pushing myself beyond social comfort zones, always trying and exploring new things. As my life progressed, I noticed a certain pattern that I fondly labeled as the seven years theory. Almost exactly every seven years, God aggressively works at upsetting the circumstances of my life. He throws in an automatic fruit basket upset. It looks like a game of musical chairs, where at some point the music stops and I am left without a chair; in order to continue on in the game (of life), I need to find another divergent route. It is another means by which to keep me moving forward in my purpose of following God’s lead. It is almost spooky because I can just about set my watch to it, and after the dust settles and all the options have been exhausted, the scenery of my life has drastically changed. Once again, I am coming to that crossroad, as my job and responsibilities on Prince Edward Island are soon coming to a close. However, the comfort and assurance I have from past life experience is that I know that there is something better waiting for me on the other side of the horizon, because my God is and always has been just that faithful.

Most of us, if we were honest, would isolate drug addicts, alcoholics, and obsessive sexual offenders into alternative sinners’ categories, living lives that are seemingly different than our own. Yet, we are all actually pursuing the very same thing; we are looking for some sort of serenity or comfort in our lives. The trouble with the world — and the remnants of evil that still exist in our hearts — is that it encourages us to look for solutions to pain and wickedness that invade our lives in the world around us; because sin still exists, we have a skewed perspective. This false sense of tranquility convinces us that we can resolve our ugly issues without the help of something – or more correctly, Someone else. Nevertheless, all peripheral pursuits are futile, because true comfort only comes through knowing who we are and to whom we belong. Our foremost comfort, then, is that we belong to our Creator. The powerful truth that we belong to Him cuts through any doubt that Satan could conjure up within our minds. Once you know it, and believe it, then the parcel of peace that holds your life captive is all the assurance one needs in order to break down barriers of doubt and hesitancy. We are energized to move on in our lives with whatever challenges that the world throws in our paths. And comfort fortifies faith: Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1) Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and all of the heroes of faith had a sense that they were treasured possessions, belonging to a God that valued them and loved them each individually and specifically for an ultimate purpose. True comfort is knowing that we belong to God, not on account of what we have accomplished, but rather what He has surrendered for us.

Secondary comforts - watching the Giants in the Superbowl, purchasing a brand-new car, enjoying one’s job, or sitting on the beach at an island resort - are all fleeting vapors in the wind - here today and gone tomorrow. And, although this is concretely true, we also know that the spiritual, emotional, and psychological value - the memory of it - lasts a lifetime (or at least until your mind stops fully functioning) Our very first trip to Hawaii with my wife was like that — a 5-star resort with fish swimming in the hallways, celebration and activities every day, crystal clear water that allowed us to a front seat viewing into another world at the ocean floor, more food than one could ever eat in a year, and always flooding every moment with happy and employed workers that would fulfill our every need. And although for my wife and I it seemed like a magical and mystical heavenly wonderland, like ALL secondary comforts, it mandatorily came to a sudden and instantaneous halt when our allotted time of stay was finished. May we continually spur on the sprinkling of secondary comforts in our lives, blessings from heaven, but be eternally grounded in our only comfort: that of belonging to God as His chosen children.

SEASON 1

Day Four

Psalm 46:1–3…"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

WHITEWATER RAFTING

In my first year at university, the school scheduled a mixer that was a day trip of canoeing down the Grand Rapids River in the state of Michigan; I took the opportunity to ask a fellow classmate if she would like to join me on this excursion. It was late in October, but freezing temperatures had not yet taken root. Since neither one of us had ever gone whitewater rafting before, we reluctantly put on our life jackets, carefully checking off the list of our gear (bailing bucket and food cooler chest being at the very top) and compliantly tied down our food chest to the inside of our craft. Why all the precautions? What could possibly go wrong?

Although the sign on the side of the riverbank should have immediately clued me in, instead I was oblivious to its meaning; it read, Is your life insurance current? Suddenly, in just a few minutes, the water started flowing more rapidly — the excitement and adrenaline kicked in immediately! The current became swifter. Glancing up, we could see the raft in front of us tossing back and forth, seemingly under no explainable control, like a potato chip in the wind. Then, before I had time to think, we hit the rapids. The problems with whitewater rafting for an inexperienced participant is that you don’t know where the rocks are under the water or what’s around the next corner, and definitely, once you’re in the violent thrust of the water, being bobbed back and forth, there’s no going back.

I never thought much more about this unique four-and-a-half-hour blip on the radar of my past college experiences until recently I read something that directed my thoughts back to this event. When I thought about rafting, it made so much sense to me. Whitewater rafting is so much like many of our encounters in daily living: at the beginning, the water was calm and peaceful, and we actually were absorbing all the natural beauty that created an amazing experience, while reminding us visually of the nearby safe and dry shoreline. Things started picking up speed quickly though — life has a way of getting out of control very quickly. Have you ever found yourself in a pretty desperate situation? A place where you don’t want to be? it could be on the wrong end of a lawsuit, the receiving end of slander or harsh words, or the loser in an argument with the one you love.

In the white waters of our lives — when life turns into a whitewater experience and you get tossed out of the boat — where do you go? To whom do you turn? What do you hold on to? Yet, God continues to use and push mankind beyond our perceived limits for learning opportunities.

As we started to get closer to the rapids, we were excited, but anxious, too. We felt eager and fearful at the same time. But once we were in the throes of the current, in the middle of the swirling rapids, we had no choice but to continue. Looking back was not an option! It started off slowly but picked up very fast, just like in life. Sometimes it can be bumpy and extremely rocky; sometimes you can’t even see the dangerous rocks just below the surface — you know they are there, but you are not sure exactly just how to maneuver past them — and you can even get completely turned around and become disoriented. The rapids of life can at times be very deep, while at other times, not deep enough; you may not know what you will bump into along the way.

Then, after brushing the sprayed water from our eyes, we got a glimpse of the calm water just ahead; but just when we thought we had recovered, the rapids picked up again. Everything moved along so rapidly (no pun intended); we could barely see ahead of us. It was hardly believable! Suddenly, there was a split in the river up ahead. We had to go one way or the other; at this point, I realized I was no longer in control. So, in the end, I put all my hope and faith into our trusted guide, attempting to imitate every last detail of his helpful and necessary instructions. The guide did steer us into the safest course, but we were not out of danger just yet. If we did not have the right guide, we may have gotten badly injured or even died; we had to put all of our faith and trust fully in our guide. It was by his careful and knowledgeable instructions that he got us through safely to the end. After the experience, I was excited about sharing it with everyone I knew who had not gone that day. I wanted everyone to understand the real beauty of being nestled in the arms of God, the action and thrill of navigating the rapids that were sandwiched by the calmness and peacefulness that began and ended the day’s journey, and the experience that was imprinted on my memory bank forever. Life can be like the rapids: it is tough to escape the forceful current by oneself, but by putting all of your trust into life’s Guide, you will be able to break free and be at peace in the water. When God is your refuge, the focus is no longer aimed at the intensity of the struggle or the raging storm all around you, but rather on the