FATC Days of Christmas (Day 12)…The Storms of Life

FATC Days of Christmas (Day 12)… The Storms of Life 

Merry Christmas!

It’s Christmas Day –The day we celebrate the greatest gift ever —JESUS...God with us. Who frankly, I think is the gift everyone needs, but admittedly, many don’t realize it.

My Gift to my FATC brothers...I’ve recently enjoyed reading Daniel Bryant’s book, GOD MUST BE A FLY FISHER, and I think many of you will enjoy it also. I’m reprinting a short chapter each day from now through New Year’s Day. This is not just a book about fly fishing. It’s a book about slowing down. It’s a book about seeing that every moment outdoors might be an invitation to come closer to the One who created it all.

(From God Must Be A Fly Fisher by author Daniel Bryant)

The Storms of Life

It had been a long day.

Jesus had been teaching the crowds—parables, lessons, stories of the Kingdom of Heaven –until the sun began to dip hind the hills. As evening came, He looked at His disciples and said something simple:

“Let us go over to the other side.” (Mark 4:35)

They launched their boat onto the Sea of Galilee, a body of water known for its sudden and violent squalls. The disciples, many of them seasoned fishermen, were confident. They knew these waters. They had crossed them before.

But not like this.

Sometime during the crossing, a storm rolled in—not a drizzle or a wind gust, but a furious squall. The Gospels use phrases like:

“A furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.” (Matthew 8:24)

“A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.” (Luke 8:23)

“The waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.” (Mark 4:37)

The disciples began to panic. They bailed water. Pulled at ropes. Shouted over the wind. And in the middle of the chaos, they realized something:

Jesus was asleep.

Asleep in the back of the boat.

Peaceful… while the world around Him raged.

They rushed to Him, shouting over the wind:

“Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:25)

“Teacher, don’t You care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38)

“Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” (Luke 8:24)

Jesus woke up. Stood up. And then—He didn’t panic.

He didn’t shout over them.

He simply spoke to the storm.

“Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39)

And just like that…

The wind stopped.

The waves flattened.

The sea obeyed.

And then, Jesus turned to them—not with anger, but with a question:

“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

“Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25)

The disciples, now more afraid of the calm than they were of the storm, whispered among themselves:

“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” (Mark 4:41)

The Drift Back to Still Waters

That question, “Where is your faith?” —still echoes across the water today.

Because storms still come.

Sudden loss.

Crushing disappointment.

Fear that we won’t make it to the other side.

And often, it feels ls like Jesus is sleeping.

Like He’s too quiet.

Too still.

Unbothered by what feels like our drowning.

But the truth is— He’s in the boat.

Not absent. Not distant. Just calm.

Because He knows something we forget.

The storm isn’t in charge.

He is.

What Fly Fishing Teaches Us About Faith in the Storm

Any angler who’s spent enough time on the water knows how quickly a calm river can turn wild. Wind kicks up. Clouds roll in. You can be enjoying a gentle hatch one minute and trying to protect your gear and your life the next.

You learn quickly that when the weather turns, you don’t control the storm—but you can choose where you place your trust.

Jesus didn’t promise His disciples that there would be no storms. He promised they’d make it to the other side.

And they did.

The storm wasn’t the problem—it was their forgetfulness.

They forgot who was in the boat.

For the One Rowing Through Wind and Rain

If you’re in a storm right now—if your faith feels waterlogged, if you’re bailing out pain and worry faster than you can pray—know this:

Jesus is in your boat.

You may feel the storm.

You may hear the waves.

But He hears your cry.

And when He stands and speaks?

The wind listens.

The waves surrender.

And peace returns.

Because the One who made the water can calm it with a word.

So, hold on.

You’re not going down.

You’re going through.

And the One who brought you into the boat?

Will bring you home.