"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. God reaches down from on high and takes hold of me; he draws me out of deep waters." — Psalms 22:14; 18:16; 42:1

Trial by Fire Hose

Personally, I prefer sipping from a straw, but usually I drink from a fire hose. A massive flood of responsibility and stress streams nonstop towards me. I carry a daily load that many parents share with someone else. The velocity of pressure gushing towards me pins me against the wall with fire hose force. Since I cannot control the volume of stress, being backed up on life is an understatement. But, then again, drinking from a fire hose is not easy. I can only endure the blast so long before I realize I'm drowning. So how do I turn off the fire hydrant?

Step Away from the Hose: The flood of life makes me want to cry and scream. And sometimes I do, on my knees before God.

Manage the Fire Hose: I learned from hard experience to be ruthlessly selective. When I'm down and lack emotional strength to prop up drainers, I retreat from them and position people around me who know how to uplift my flagging strength and dreams.

Detect the Smoke: When my emotional cauldron bubbles over blinding me with the smoky haze of hopelessness, I turn to Psalms. The words of other fellow strugglers assures me that I'm not the only one who exchanges blows with emotional and spiritual adversity.

Extinguish Smoldering Images: Whatever I immerse myself in translates to reality. Often, pessimistic thoughts, events or people fire hose my emotional optimism. I fill my mind with God's living water, reminding me that God, not powerful emotions, circumstances or people, directs my life.