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| Ruth A. Douthitt |
We may
be challenged by health problems, family dynamics, financial issues, or even
just trying to maneuver our way through the publishing world. There may be
moments when we feel like giving up. If you’re struggling, take heart. Author Ruth A. Douthitt
shares encouraging words. ~ Dawn
Never
Fear the Storms of Life
Last October, after my sister passed away from cancer, my
husband and I drove to Lake Powell for a half marathon race that I had entered.
As we approached Page, AZ, storm clouds gathered above the city. It’s hard
enough to run a half marathon, but to run in the rain and wind makes it even
harder! The fear and trepidation rose inside me.
We fear storms because we’ve all experienced them: literally
and figuratively. We’d love to live a life without storms, but what would that
life look like?
Years ago, in Tucson, Arizona, scientists built the Biodome:
A place where scientists could live and work in a perfect environment. They had
perfect air, water, and soil to grow perfect food. They even made a simulated
ocean! Within the Biodome, scientists
could study the effects of a perfect environment in hopes of replicating it in
life.
After a while, however, these scientists noticed something
shocking: The trees they grew were dying. They were simply falling over dead at
a young age. Concerned, they took samples of the air, water, and soil to figure
out what caused the deaths of these healthy trees.
All tests showed nothing was wrong with the water, air, or
soil. Perplexed, the scientists had no idea what caused the deaths of the
trees, until one day the answer came: No wind.
You see, there was no wind inside this “perfect”
environment, but trees need wind. As a young tree grows, the wind beats against
the trunk causing the roots to dig deeper and the trunk grows stronger. Without
those strong winds of a storm, the young trees did not become stronger.
Instead, they became weaker and fell over.
How does this mirror life? We desire to live a life without
storms, but God’s creation reveals that a life without storms makes us weaker.
I thought about this as we approached Page, AZ. I’ve run in
the rain and wind before, but it isn’t easy, and we all prefer “easy” don’t we?
The morning of the race was beautiful. The sun rose through the storm clouds
and it only sprinkled.
Later that night came the storm, but we watched it safely
inside our hotel room. It was glorious!
I have endured many storms in life. Recently, my family
endured that hurricane called “cancer.” We endured for a year alongside our
sister, mother, aunt, daughter, and friend: Tammie. Watching someone you love die a slow painful
death isn’t easy. You feel helpless and hopeless. You want the storm to pass,
but it takes its own time. Afterwards, you walk away forever changed.
But afterwards the new day is remarkable. You walk away a
stronger person for having endured.
The writing journey will not be an easy one. There will be
times when you want to give up, but you can’t because you are a Writer. Instead of dodging the storms, enter in head
on.
Never fear the storms of life. We come out the other side renewed.
Ruth
A. Douthitt is an author of books for middle grade readers. She is a former
writing/language arts teacher. She
resides in Arizona with her husband and their two dogs. Ruth is working on the third book in The Children series as well as a
contemporary romance for women.
To connect and learn more, please visit these online sites:
Facebook author page:
https://www.facebook.com/Author-Ruth-A-Douthitt-245592525512882/
All of Ruth’s books are available on Amazon: The
Dragon Forest trilogy and The Children
series.
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| Books by Ruth A. Douthitt |
