This post was begun and then the book was in my mailbox. The timing of its arrival was not lost on me. The day had been emotionally overwhelming, the one year anniversary of the pandemic was duly noted, and I was tired of waiting.

In her latest book, Flooded: The Best Decisions To Make When Life Is Hard And Doubt is Rising, Nicki Koziarz shares about those times when unbelief comes flooding into our lives and we wonder where our faith has gone.

I had already been reading the account of Noah as found in Genesis and been intrigued by one detail:

When Noah sent out the dove from the ark to see if the waters had receded, even when the dove did not return and he knew it was safe, “he waited yet another seven days” (Genesis 8:12, NASB).

Noah waited until God spoke to him: “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you” (verse 16, NASB).

Noah waited patiently until God gave him the go ahead.

Now I’m not sure how that strikes you, but I am not sure I would have been able to wait. I may just have wanted to bust out of the confinement of the ark, the smells of the animals, and the challenges of being stuck in a situation beyond my control.

Even as I type those words, His Word comes gently to mind:

“For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night.” (Psalm 90:4, NASB)

The psalmist reminds us how God measures time differently than us. Peter reiterates this thought in the New Testament:

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” (2 Peter 3:8, NASB)

God moves on His own timetable.
He is not hurried as He knows when it is best.

During these challenging times we are living, I found Flooded to be most timely and encouraging. Each chapter built my faith up as they took us through the five decisions a person can make to ward off times of doubt.

1. Decision One: To Walk with God. “Godly strength comes from deciding to rise above the hard and pursue the holy” (from page 24).
2. Decision Two: To Listen to God. “Silence before God becomes a source of strength” (from page 75).
3. Decision Three: To Rise Above the Doubt. “God has a habit of doing holy things in the midst of hard things” (from page 119).
4. Decision Four: To Remember Who Is in Charge. “God’s pace and God’s plan are not ours to decide. God’s in charge of the plan; I’m in control of my obedience” (from page 139).
5. Decision Five: To Find The Familiar Faithfulness of God. “Every season still holds God’s familiar faithfulness” (from page 169).

This was a book I found hard to put down. Every page breathed of God’s promises and faithfulness through every season of life. As I came to the last page, I found myself agreeing with Solomon: “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NASB).

Flooded will bring the story of Noah to life in a way that will
truly flood your heart and mind with hope and faith.

*** I received this book from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions I have expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.  If you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small percent at no additional cost to you.

Photo by Maximilian Weisbecker on Unsplash
Today I am joining … Heart Encouragement and Booknificent Thursday .