I will Build a Boat

Let’s say life can be super hard sometimes.  We definitely ALL go through ups and downs.  Usually it’s at different times and I believe we are blessed with friends and family who show up to help us during those hard times. 

About 2 years ago, my family was struggling.  My husband and I own a business together.  At the time, we had 11 employees we had to manage and we ran into financial issues that lead to us laying off all the employees but one.  My husband usually handled the behind the scenes part of the company, and with the laying off of the warehouse manager, this put me in a position where I needed to step in and learn how to run the warehouse, which I had no experience doing.  With the business being our main source of revenue, we were in trouble.  Then, as you can imagine, the depression set in.

My husband’s second job ~ which was really his passion, was coaching varsity basketball.  He was in the head coach position for 6 years, moving the kids up the ladder to competing for state that year.  During the first meeting of the season, he shared his mental issues he was having with his team.  Well, the school board didn’t like the taboo of speaking about depression.  This lead to him losing the head coach position and the school encouraging him to focus on his mental health.  Let’s just say his mental health plummeted even lower.  We went to several doctors, trying to determine what there was available to help.  They finally settled on some medication and sent him home.

You can imagine the stress and the pain I was going through.  I felt like everything had collapsed around me and there was no hope of turning things around.  I just kept asking God why this was all happening to us all at the same time.

One day while driving, I heard an amazing song called “Build a Boat” by Colton Dixon.  This song became my mantra for my life.  I thought I’d share some of the lyrics here so you understand.

 I will build a boat in the sand where they say it never rains, I will stand up in faith, I’ll do anything it takes.  With Your wind at my sails, Your love never fails or fades.   I will build a boat in the desert place, And when the flood and the water starts to rise, yeah I’ll ride the storm ’cause I got You by my side, With your wind in my sails, Your love never fails or fades, I will build a boat, so let it rain.

https://youtu.be/jjaKKAsQc34?si=1A3_wWPYRSW2-E-p

I knew I needed to put my trust in God and have the belief that He was the only one who could help me through these significant challenges.  I would listen to this song EVERY DAY!  SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.

One day in particular, I was having a very hard time with everything going on.  I had a business that was barely surviving and a very upset husband.  I felt like giving up.  I live in a small town where you have to take your own garbage to the dump so I put on my favorite song and headed there.  There was no one around that day as I pulled up to the dump.  I got out of my car, and guess what I found?  A beautiful little wooden boat!  It wasn’t in the trash, but on the side of the dump, and I KNEW it was a sign from my God that I needed to keep going, and that he would be the wind in my sails.  Of course I took it home as a reminder that God is so aware of us!  He’s aware of you and me.  He is in the details of our lives.

I have big plans to restore that little boat as that song plays through my head knowing that the Lord strategically placed it in my life when I felt very alone and had lost hope.

Things have turned around for us.  Thank God.  When life gets hard, don’t give up.  Dig your heels in and get closer to your Father in Heaven than ever before.  Show him you can survive the hard days knowing he’s got your back.  ~ Heather