I love the sound of a gently falling rain outside my window. It has a calming effect on a restless heart and mind.

I have been considering much about the world lately. I have been trying to keep up on news to some extent...though I tend to live in a cave here at school. I read earlier this week about the disaster in the Philippines...my heart broke for those people. I was in Venezuela six months after the mudslides there and saw the utter devestation of the people even six months later. I saw first hand what mudslides do. Tonight I read about an earthquake in Mozambique. Couldn't find anymore out about that, but I pray that it wasn't overly serious...I guess the coming days will tell. My heart was again stirred tonight for the tragedy that has been going on for years in Northern Uganda as I stumbled onto a conversation about that place...Uganda, where I left my heart four years ago. I have read about the attacks in different countries due to the infamous cartoon...places like in Indonesia. There are so many disturbing things going on in this world. One sometimes wonders what God is doing...or if He is even involved anymore. But this one thing I know...He is involved...and He uses these tragic events to bring glory to His name by helping people see who He is and how He loves them. In His name is found hope and love and joy and salvation. Even in these hard days, He is working. Even in these trying times, He is good. He is a gentle falling rain in the midst of chaos.

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 46:10

"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."
Psalm 46:1-3

"Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise."
Psalm 48:1