By Doug Creamer

I have a few weather friends and we like to make amateur predictions about winter storms and hurricanes. We have fun guessing and giving each other a hard time when we miss. I send my predictions to about a dozen friends who think I am pretty accurate, but I think they are being kind because I miss it just like the professionals. I like to watch the weather models and follow the trends. There are some people putting out wild forecasts that I caution you to avoid following. Look to trusted forecasters who offer balanced forecasts.

Some friends have asked me to post my predictions on social media. The recent storm demonstrates why I don’t. I thought we would get snow here in Salisbury but we ended up with mostly sleet and freezing rain. The professionals predicted some measurable snow all the way down to Charlotte. People on social media were cruel and hateful to social media predictors and professionals for missing the forecast. It’s a shame that the hatefulness is driving one local social media forecaster to quit following his passion and sharing his weather predictions for our area.

I once met Ray Boylan, who used to be on Channel 9 out of Charlotte. He told me that the mountains and ocean have a huge impact on the weather here in the Piedmont. Mountains can zap storms and the ocean can feed them. I remember Eric Thomas from Channel 3 sharing one night how a wobble in a storm had ruined his forecast. That time we got more snow than he had predicted.

Weather is something that has so many variables that can impact what we see out our windows. Brad Panovich from Channel 6 recently pointed out on a Facebook post that a tenth of a degree can change what falls from the sky. All this unpredictability fascinates me about weather. I love to watch the models every day and follow reliable social media forecasters. My Facebook feed is filled with all kinds of weather related posts.

The big trouble with weather forecasting is that most people forget that the forecasters are not in control. We have to remember that God is in control. He has the weather, the planets, the stars, and you and me in His hands. He is in control. I understand that sometimes it doesn’t feel that way, but you can be assured that He has everything under control.

Sometimes, it’s hard for us to understand and accept that God is in control. When the doctor says cancer… When the phone rings and you receive tragic news…When circumstances at work have soured… When family drama unfolds… We have to turn to God and ask Him to intervene and trust that He will lead us and be with us because He is in control. None of this is easy. In fact, it’s hard to have faith when things feel out of control. We must turn our eyes on Jesus, asking for guidance and believing that He is in control.

God knows everything. He knows the name of every star. He knows the exact number of hairs on every human head. He saw the beginning and He sees the end. He knows every detail of our lives. He knows each of us better than we know ourselves. He is in control in spite of what we may think in difficult moments. We have to give Him room to work all things out for our good. We have to trust and believe that He can work in and through our circumstances.

The news is tragic…God is in control. My circumstances are hard…God is in control. I am struggling with doubt and worry…God is in control and He can do exceedingly, abundantly beyond anything we can imagine. One day, Joseph is lying in a dungeon, the next, he is second in command of Egypt. Lazarus was dead for three days and then Jesus called him out of the tomb. Peter was locked away in a dungeon and then an angel had to wake him up to help him escape. Sometimes we have to go through things with God. He has a good plan for our lives.

I want to encourage you to never give up because God is in control of even the craziest of circumstances. We must keep the embers of hope alive. Ask close friends to pray for and with you. You are not alone! God is with you and He will bring good out of your circumstances. He can rescue people from fiery furnaces, huge fish, sicknesses and even the grave. He will come through for you. God is in control!

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com.