“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly, the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39)

I woke up one Saturday morning with my “to-do” list racing in my head. Twenty minutes later, I fell back in bed with exhaustion. I had picked up a terrible stomach bug. Sleep felt like relief from my utter wretchedness.

The day passed in the shadows when suddenly my husband rushed into our room, alerting me, “Ruthie, I’m sorry to bug you, but I need help.” Instantly awake, I asked him a few key questions. I was shocked to see my stoic husband groaning in pain. I called 911 and desperately tried to convey his condition. Finally, when he could not stand upright, I hurried, grabbed his wallet and daily prescriptions, and called my 33-year-old stepson.

As I waited, I sensed “God’s calm” come over me.

Soon, EMTs arrived while I was talking to my stepson. After that, a team of paramedics arrived, and I was suddenly having three conversations simultaneously.

Amid the crisis, I still faced my severe stomach issues. But, as quickly as I could, I ran from my bathroom back to my husband as the paramedics asked important questions, tore open medical packages, and hooked him up to beeping machines.

A few minutes later, the paramedics whisked him out the door and away in the ambulance. Unfortunately, because of my illness, I could not go with him. I frantically prayed and depended on my stepson to update me.

Surgeons put in a stent. Then, a day after my own stomach flu passed, I finally saw him! Amazingly, he arrived home just 48 hours later. He is part of the 12 percent who survived this type of heart attack.

I name that entire experience “a storm of life.”

And through it all, I felt supernatural peace. It is the kind of peace that passes understanding and allows for a clear mind, when Jesus takes control.

So the next time a crisis surrounds you, take a moment and focus on Jesus to calm the storm in your life.

Be in the presence of Jesus and experience his calm.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Mark 4 today.