“A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.”

We all know that a summer storm can come upon us within a moment and without warning.  The atmospheric conditions of the summer create storms from all the ingredients that we one moment enjoy and in the next are taking cover away from. The same can happen in business in the summer as the conditions are always present for extreme market volatility.  The summer is the time when we can take our eyes off the ball, spend a few less hours of the day in focus, or are away from the office more than usual.  It’s ironic that in the light trading of the summer that the stock market can be swung up and down with such extremes being driven by so few.  It only takes the right amount of humidity, winds, and rising temperatures and a summer squall can appear from seemingly nowhere.  While we should always be on the lookout for the storms that can come our wayis in the summer that we might want to be a little more cautious and ready.  What business storms can we predict that might come our way this season that we need to be prepared and ready to face?

In Mark’s account of the storm that Jesus calmed it appeared the storm came upon them suddenly and without prediction.  This is the metaphor of life that we can’t ignore.  One day all is great and the next we are without a job, getting a new boss that we aren’t sure we will like, the company being sold, or the market crashes…again.  We can’t predict the storms of our lives so we have to do what we can to be prepared and ready as best we can.  How are we thinking about our life preparations for the summer storms that will come this year?  Let’s batten down our lives with God’s Word, a strong prayer life and fellowship and accountability with fellow believers. Storms will come, we know that.  How prepared we are is totally up to us.

Reference: Mark 4: 37 (New Living Translation)