Walnuts

Last October, we visited Detroit and stayed at a full campground, enjoying the cool days of fall. We had an idyllic site beside the lake. That first afternoon we took out our camping chairs and enjoyed watching several swans take off and land on the still surface of the water.

Back in the RV to rest, our quiet was interrupted by the sudden impact of something that sounded like a baseball hitting the roof. Again. And again. And again.

Alarmed, we tentatively looked out, only to be bombarded by the next pounding.

Walnuts . . . green shelled and the size of golf balls.

They assaulted us constantly - day and night.

“Why would anyone allow these trees in their yard, much less in a campground?” I asked, bleary-eyed after another restless night spent in the war zone.

Fast forward to our July trip this year —-

We had stopped for a couple of nights in Kentucky. As we pulled into our site, we saw one on the ground . . . a walnut.

It took all of 15 minutes before one hit the roof. Thankfully, it was only the occasional stray strike this time.

Life is full of falling walnuts, isn’t it?

Sometimes they rain down, the assault taking us by surprise. And sometimes we’ve had enough life experience to recognize the branches beginning to shake.

Life is hard - camping under a walnut tree may stretch and press us in ways we never imagined.

You know this to be true.

A health scare.

A divorce.

A loved one’s sudden death.

A betrayal.

A job loss.

A seemingly impossible choice.

But here’s the good news: God is never surprised when the walnuts begin to fall.

He knows exactly when we will face our most difficult challenges. He’s fully prepared to help us through the harsh blows of life that threaten to disturb our peace.

We must trust that He is already ahead of our troubles. We must believe that He cares deeply about our struggles.

In truth Jesus declared that we will have trouble in this world. And yet, don’t think this is the end, for it comes with a promise:

“But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

He’s already there, fighting the battle beside you. He is your ever-present help. He gives you armor for the attack.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:14-17 NIV

Remember: we never fight alone.

I felt like it was almost as if He led us to camp under these pesky trees one more time, just to remind me of this important lesson.

Thwack! There goes another one as I write . . .

And now the real question: Do you have a walnut tree in your backyard?

Today is a GOOD day!

Natalie