TAKING DESTINY'S CALL OUT OF THE OVERRIDING STORMS OF LIFE

By:Quansah Ebo John

Date16 July,2011



TAKING DESTINY'S CALL OUT OF THE OVERRIDING STORMS OF LIFE

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“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

...So why do you worry…O you of little faith?

(Matt 6:26-31)

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Forgetfulness is a disorder of medical significance as it reflects dysfunction at the level of memory which is coordinated by the oldest section of the human brain. Temporary loss of memory, otherwise called amnesia is disheartening in itself and some trauma or injury to the brain can permanently distort the functionality of one’s memory system. Senile dementia is a disease of old age which disrupts memory in a drastic way that neuroscientists have been battling to find a remedy for it. If memory in this physical sense can lead to so much pain to the sufferer, how much more would memory dysfunction be in a spiritual sense. Hence David would scream to himself, “Bless the Lord O my soul and FORGET not His benefits…''



Life in general is about seasons and times, and often times we act as though we loathe and abhor this reality of change we live with daily. We wake up…we step out…we work/learn…we eat…we get tired…we go hungry…we retire…we sleep, then wake and the cycle goes on even without our permission!



As a Medical student, an aspiring rookie neuroscientist and artist who’s fascinated by the art of living, I reckon that the nervous system is so wired that no external umpire is required to ‘time our lives’ or to nudge and prod us into doing what our natural circadian system (biologic clock) has perfected over time without us lending a hand. Despite how worried we may get, our hearts beat without our help, the lungs sieve out carbon dioxide even when we are deep in our dreams at night, and the brain keeps the entire body coordinated while we snore away at night. How helpless can we then be!



More interestingly we are forced to reckon that the seasons of life were fixed long before humans understood their dynamics or why the trees, shrubs and animals responded and adapted to the reality of changing seasons of life. Trees will shed their leaves at fall, and new leaves will wriggle out of the stems and tree branches as spring beckons. The sun’s smiley rays in summer contrast the dour-look of the hapless rays that the ice-cold winter shields from warming the faces of humans.



Reality is; Life goes on whether we acknowledge the seasons or not, and the attitude we adopt in the flux and entropy of life’s seasons will to a large extent determine the outcome, not necessarily the output and immediate results. Often times, we are so focused on the results that the lessons and memories of the process that we are going through are dampened by our anxiety and desperation for instant change to occur.



But one constant reality of my life has been the changes that I have had to face. As a kid in my basic schools, I read cover to cover of newspapers and read so much about the outside world and knew so much about Europe, Asia and the Americas through my shortwave radio we usually called 'Walkman' as if I have once been an inhabitant of those regions of the world. I have been a ‘part’ of the social movements, revolutions and upheavals in their societies as much as I have been affected by the socio-political changes in my own country Ghana. I excitedly read abt how Berlin Wall crumbled and how the concept of perestroika dismantled the walls of communism in Russia and the Eastern Bloc, while the winds of democracy blew across the world.



Besides my village where I grew up and have fond memories of, I have had to live in Agona swedru, Tarkwa,Akim Oda and Acrra and thank God my ship will soon berth in Massachussetts to fulfill l a prophecy where I have just obtained a full schorlarship to persue my 'Neuroscience' Master's degree dream in Harvard University. But as a kid, I was so filled with the reality of life in the village that I never envisaged into the future to ever imagine that days will come when I will end up as a ‘visitor’ to the land of my forebears.



If I ever knew, I would have documented the joys of childhood, the memories of childhood friends that I hardly see again, the folk stories that I no longer can remember, and those witty sayings and proverbs that my elders interjected into their conversations that I didn’t master. Now I know better to cherish every phase of life and enjoy it to the full since the hands of the clock don’t do an anticlockwise movement.



Life and its seasons should be savored and lived through, not tolerated or abhorred, however harrowing they may seem. Embedded in life’s experiences are lessons and nuggets of wisdom that we ought to mine and refine for our future use. But more often than not, we are too anxious to get off the horse-back rather than enjoy the ride especially when the terrain appears rocky and the paths bumpy and uneven. Come to think of it, a life that is smooth will only be a utopia of sorts, bereft of gem stones of lessons learnt, the joy of triumphs that overshadows the sorrows of losses and the frustrations that come with missed opportunities.



As the day for my Harvard scholarship interview date dawned, different thoughts assailed my heart, and the uncertainty of tomorrow loomed like a foreboding storm. But I chose to quieten the palpitations that threatened to unsettle my heart, knowing that I had been through this phase before,where I have had to let go one direct admission at KNUST to study Human Biology and rather opt to do battle with over 900 'level100' students during our 'Biological Science' days to make it to the 60 number of students needed for the medical school at korle-bu. It was my choice to opt for UGMS as i always cherished competition even when it seemed as though I had a choice to allow the status quo to prevail.



A few days before I flew 2d States for the interview, while sitting still at my balcony after a rainfall, my eyes alighted on the remains of a bird’s nest that was yanked off from its resting place the previous night by the stormy wind. At first blush, I wanted to throw away the pack of maize stalks and dried grasses with which the bird-couple made their nest on our TV’s antenna. But the sustained cry of two baby birds stuck in the makeshift house caught my attention as I peeped into their anxious eyes.



My heart was torn and the bowels of compassion stirred up within me. I was moved to protect the hapless and helpless baby birds whose parents were no where in sight. I tenderly picked up the nest and gently fixed it back to the TV antenna, making sure it didn’t fall off again. I was preoccupied to see that they survived having been their landlord for a while, and I stripped myself of the thoughts that they’re mere birds!



The next morning I went by the balcony to check if the little birds were OK and to my deep pleasure, their parents had gone a step further than I did---they had gone to the adjoining farmyard to pluck more maize stalks and dry leaves with which they fastened the nest to the TV antenna. And these little birds snuggled in the warmth of their parents’ bosom within the nest until they were strong enough to fly,fluff and skitter out on their own. Few days ago, I checked the nest again but the birds were all gone and leaving behind the vestiges of cracked egg shells that affirm that birds once occupied the nest weeks ago.



The experience of the birds brought home the realities of God’s promises to the anxious Israelites which Isaiah documented (Isaiah 43: 1-3):



“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you;

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”



As the morning of the interview came… reality once again began to stare at my face rudely. I watched as tears streaked down my cheeks and soil my pillow as songs of worship welled up within me. I knew It was a completed mission even before I set off to meet the interview panel.‘So what if you fail woefully at the interview and happen to waste the in-and -out flight tickets? and I seemed to have stuttered in an attempt to respond back. But I have grown wise enough to not respond to a detractor, a cynic or pessimist for they act out their roles with such glee that makes an optimist appear foolish and brainless.Thank God,at the end...I got an 'on the spot' for a 25minutes interview that was originally scheduled to last an hour....and it was even more amazing when a member of the interview midway thru the interview willingly blurted out that "John,the education you're receiving in 'University Of Ghana' is 1st class"



My conviction that God is committed to going through the storms of life with us has grown a bit deeper and stronger but not without the interludes of anxiety that resides in the heart of every human being. Sure the storms of life are often inevitable, but when we go through them, we should not despair for they only last for a while, and are to make us strong. Rather than lose heart, we should open our sails and ride on the wings of the storms like surfers and deft divers.



During this period of interview transition and introspection, I have sat back to watch with amusement the frantic pace with which we seek for change in our circumstances. But on the other side of the spectrum, the sun takes its daily steady stroll from the far horizon over our heads and back again to snuggle in the warmth of darkness. The world rhythm of nature around us steadies after each stormy night, and plants and shrubs that were leveled down by rainfall, gradually raise their heads and take root once again. Life continues and refuses to grind to a halt at the instance of storms, and so should we who believe in God and should learn to sing and praise in the midst of the storms of life like the Gospel Rock band Casting Crowns have so popularized. Just click on the link below to sing along and be encouraged by this song:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr7i5L6kFT0&nofeather=True







"Praise You In This Storm"



I was sure by now God

You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining



As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain "I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives And takes away



[Chorus:]

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm



I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to you

And you raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on If I can't find You



But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain "I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away



[Chorus]



I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth



[Chorus x2]

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As I conclude, all I can pray is that we try not to lose our joy or song when the storms of life hit us. It may come as a loss of a beloved one, a business failure, a major disappointment, a delayed breakthrough, heartbreak, and the list goes on. Keep your cool, pick up the pieces of your life and take a ride with God through the storm. For when you do, you sure will come out stronger and will look back and sing a song in the storm!



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The author is Quansah Ebo John