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November 25, 2016November 25, 2016


The next day, Lois went over to visit Ashley who was still in remand. After much praying for Ashley in the night, Lois thought of going over to encourage her friend. And for the first time in a long while she saw her friend really devastated. “I’ve been trying to understand, and I don’t just get it! Everything was going on well for me, Lois! So where from all this? Why is all this happening to me?” Ashley tearfully asked her. “I’m really innocent of this crime! Why would this happen to me? I feel like my world is falling apart, Lois… That’s one thing which I don’t understand: Why bad things happen to innocent people! And why God even allows His children to suffer and go through challenging times! Tell me Lois! Why am I going through this? And why are you also going through challenges in your marriage? Aren’t you God’s child? Or He just doesn’t care?” Ashley spoke sadly.

“Ash… No, don’t say so! He really cares! He does!” Lois said forcing a smile. “You know, I don’t know why all this is happening! I keep asking God why… But, I’ve come to see all this as a stormy phase, Ash. It’s only a storm, and it will soon be over… And Ash… I’ve come to realize that the whole reason is that your faith in Him would be made stronger, and also to draw us more to Him.
“You know, I read from scripture how when the disciples were faced by a fierce storm, Peter, the chief fisherman went to rouse Jesus. And when Jesus came, he just stilled the storm! Sometimes Ash, we try fighting our battles on our own, but we only fail, until we invite Jesus into the situation.” Lois continued to say as Ashley listened to her with a despaired look.

“I’m at the end of my rope, Lois! What if the court ruling doesn’t go in my favor?  What if I get imprisoned for a crime I didn’t commit? My life… My job…” “Ash… I can understand… But Honey, see, God is able to help us if only we would let Him! I know you’ve lost your trust in God because you went through bouts of relationship disappointments. Unfortunately, the last of which Henry has also dragged you to court! But Ash, God is a good father, and He wouldn’t cause us pain. However, even when life presents us with storms of hurricane proportions, He is still able to intervene and show himself strong in our situation when we let Him… Ash, the stormy phase shouldn’t be a period of fighting God or being angry with him! It shouldn’t be a time of running away from Him! It should be a time of humility and asking Him to calm the storm for us! Ashley, you can’t fight this battle on your own! You need to invite Jesus into your situation just like the disciples did when they were faced by the fierce storm on the sea! You need to cry out to Him, Ash!


As Ashley was in her cell that night, she thought about everything that Lois had shared with her. Truly she needed help! And it became obvious that only the Lord could help her!
Though as an independent woman she was used to getting things done all by herself, and not asking for help from anyone, she realized at that moment that all her efforts and her ‘super woman’ attitude would not be able to help her! She needed someone to calm the storm for her.
Realizing that for years she hadn’t given reverence to God, she prayed to Him asking for forgiveness for her haughty attitude and for her unbelief! She then asked the Lord to take over her life once again, and take over the situation, not because she was afraid of going to jail, but because she realized that without Him she could do nothing.

“I surrender Lord! Please help me love you once again! Help me to be your friend again! And help this weak friend of yours Lord! Please let me have faith in you!” she tearfully prayed.


©Dorothy Budu-Arthur, 2016

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