I don’t know what triggered it, but over the weekend, I re-watched the Bible miniseries on Netflix. Episode seven highlights Matthew 14:22-33 when Jesus walks on water.  In the story, the disciples are crossing the sea to meet Jesus on the other side. Before reaching the other side, they go through a storm. With disrespectful winds and incredibly strong waves, they are being tossed around like rag dolls when they see Jesus walking on water. Peter cries out to Him and says:

 “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus calls out to Peter to walk to Him on the water and when he starts to, he takes his eyes off of Jesus to look at the churning waves around him and immediately begins to sink. He begs for Jesus to save him and without hesitation, Jesus reaches down, grabs his hand and asks the ultimate question:

“Peter…why did you doubt?”

Even though I’ve read the story and seen this episode multiple times, this time felt different. This time it touched me in a way I’m not quite sure it has before.

It got me thinking: how many times in our business, our home, our everyday life have we asked God for something only to take our eyes off of Him and almost drown? How many times has Jesus had to save us because we got distracted? I can’t speak for you, but as for me? Psssh….WAAAAYYYYYYYYYY too many times to count.

Lately I’ve been feeling like a hot mess. I’ve been feeling extra overwhelmed because of everything that’s been going on. Between moving from Alaska to Florida to maintaining a business all while preparing for Baby Harris’ arrival,  there are SO many changes happening at once and my head is spinning. I feel like if I’m succeeding in one area, I’m failing in another and even though I ask God to help me with it all, it’s when I try to handle it all myself that I get distracted and begin sink. I can’t do life by myself and neither can you. We weren’t created to. As much as we hate to admit it, we are not in control. Like Peter walking on the water, all we have to do is keep our eyes on Jesus and regardless of what is happening around us or underneath our feet, WE. WILL. NOT. DROWN.

Jesus is here to help us. Maybe you don’t have a business, but you’re struggling to balance home and work life. Maybe you’re a new mom and you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe you’re dealing with a family matter or maybe you’re just growing impatient with life in general because you’re not where YOU think you should be and you’re trying to take matters into your own hands. Whatever the reason is that you’re He’s here to help me and He’s here to help you. Even when we get distracted and begin to sink, He is always there to reach down and pull us back to the surface, calming all the winds and waves that are tossing around in the process.

I know surrendering to Him 1000% isn’t an overnight thing, so in the spirit of progress and not perfection, I’m challenging myself this week to take it one day at a time…one piece of life at a time. Honestly, my shoulders and back are killing me from trying to carry the weight of the world on them and do everything myself. All I want to do is cast my cares on Him and keep my eyes focused on Him. I don’t want to look to the left. I don’t want to look to the right. Even with the waves going crazy underneath my feet, I don’t want to look down. My goal…my plan of action for this week is to NOT. SINK.

What about you? Whatever is weighing on you, remember you can’t do it alone. No matter what storm you’re going through right now…keep your eyes focused on Him. If you do, I guarantee you: you will NOT drown.

Here’s to an amazing week of us all weathering the storm and walking on the water.