Between the Lightning and the Thunder

There is always a sense of uneasy anticipation when dark clouds, pregnant with rain, ignite the sky with a flash of lightening. According to the National Weather Service, it is estimated that

there are some 16 million lightning storms in the world every year. Nearly 1,800 thunderstorms are occurring at any one moment around the world.

Most of us pause and begin to count off the seconds, to see how far away the lightening strike was from where we are standing. There is something about that in-between moment where we are conscious of our finite vulnerability. You are aware that something is coming your way that could hurt you, but you don’t know exactly when that will be….only that it is coming.

Thunder can be heard up to 10 miles away from the lightening that creates it. Meteorologists and experts on weather have calculated that lightning can heat the air around it to as much as 60,000 degrees, producing incredible sound waves by the quick expansion of the heated air. That would be hot enough to fuse silica sand into glass channels known as fulgurites which are normally hollow and can extend some distance into the ground.

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second, so we see lightening the very instant that it flashes. Sound travels a mile in 5 seconds, if 20 seconds elapse between the lightning bolt flash, and the deafening boom of the thunder, then the lightning struck 4 miles away. Any closer would be a warning that the potential of a lightning strike hitting you could be imminent, and that it is time to seek immediate shelter. When there are successive lightning strikes, it means that they are often 2 to 3 miles apart, so it is wise to get to safety.

The 30 / 30 Rule

If you can only count 30 seconds before you hear the thunder, get into shelter for at least 30 minutes. When the lightning is very nearby, you can actually hear a snap or pistol shot sound that is followed by a sizzle that is followed by the smell of ozone. The snap-sizzle sound is not called “thunder” since it doesn’t really sound like the rolling, booming, thundering sound.


The Warning between the Lightning and the Thunder

Be Aware of the Coming Storm

A coming storm always begins with clouds on the horizon. Times of trouble will inevitably come our way. Trials have a way of confronting what we depend upon when times are tough: God or ourselves. When we let our guard down and become undisciplined in our seeking God in The Quiet Place, we tend to become careless in our lives and get caught unaware when a storm crashes down upon us. 

Prepare for the Coming storm

People sometimes spend an enormous amount of energy and money in their desire to be best prepared for a coming storm. The recent reports of hurricanes and tornadoes challenge everyone that lives within the storm regions to be prepared. Sometimes no matter how well you are prepared, storms can hit with very little warning. In a few terrifying moments, the destruction of a tornado can literally tear a person's world to shreds.

The best way to prepare for a coming life storm is to study, meditate upon and memorize the Word of God. The more we do it, the easier it is to lock those truths into long term memory.  The Spirit of God will bring God's promises into your mind before the full brunt of the storm hits. The more we are immersed in the Scriptures, the more prepared we will be.

Seek God’s Wisdom for the Coming Storm

One of God’s great desires is to see this characteristic fused solidly with our lives.


“Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” Psalm 51:5-7

When specific storms are building upon the horizon of our lives, it is critical to seek God, and ask Him for insight and direction, as to how best to deal with what is coming our way.

“…that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:9-10

People all over the world are facing intense and life shattering storms every moment of every day. Pending layoffs at work, threats of foreclosure, mounting financial pressures, and health related issues are common to everyone today no matter how prepared we may be. That is because in life, there is very little that we have any absolute control over. Between the lightning and the thunder one must seek God for wisdom as to how to respond Biblically to the coming storm and thereby glorify Him in the midst of it.

The Caution between the Lightning and the Thunder

There is a Tendency to Ignore the Signs

It is a strange phenomenon, but we often ignore the warning signs that a storm is coming our way. We reason that storms have happened in the past and we made it through, so why get so frantic about it. History abounds with examples of people who have ignored the warning signs between the lightning and the thunder to their peril.


“For wisdom is protection....the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.” Ecclesiastes 7:12

James wrote about the need to seek God for wisdom, especially when undergoing times of trouble:

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:4-6
  
There is a Tendency to be Unprepared

Procrastination: “to put off intentionally and habitually, the doing of something that should be done.” The Oxford English Dictionary identifies that at the root of procrastination is delay. “It is the postponement of something often with the sense of deferring though indecision, when early action would have been preferable," or as "defer[ing] action, especially without good reason." 

Sometimes the storm upon the horizon is there because we caused it. Impulsive decisions, acting on unwise counsel, and a stubbornness to do it our way, may have created consequences that are dire, and may have a negative and costly impact upon our lives. In times like this, we need to trust God’s merciful grace, and with a repentant humility, humbly ride it through, whatever it may be. God in His mercy may lighten the impact of the storm, but the hail will still do it’s damage.

The contrast between wise planning and poor planning is seen in the story Jesus told regarding the wise and unwise builder:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:23-27

There is a Tendency to not seek God for Wisdom

Between the lightening and the thunder, there is a tendency for most people to respond without seeking God’s wisdom, and then wonder how things got into such a great mess.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:7

Be Faithful between the Lightning and the Thunder

There is the Reality of Danger 

There is a free App for your smart phone that is called Lightening Locator, that allows you to accurately measure the distance where the lightening actually struck.

The issue is not necessarily where the last lightening struck, but to know how to respond to the one that is coming.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

There is a Need to Trust God

Between the lightning and the thunder, the test will be upon what it is that you lean on, to give you strength, other than God.
 
“When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of

two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” Edward Teller

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Psalm 28:7

There is a Need to Praise God
  
An attitude of thankfulness is intricately linked with trusting God, for it is the consequent act of praising Him in the midst of the storm.

“…Therefore, (because I trust in Him between the lightning and the thunder) my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Psalm 28:7

Don't be Afraid between the Lightning and the Thunder

God is Sovereign

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.” Psalm 142:3

God can be trusted

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

God is Faithful

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night.” Psalm 92:1-2

The psalmist understood this principle and wrote wisely:

“I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.  O may Your lovingkindness comfort me (be my comfort), According to Your word (or promise) to Your servant.” Psalm 119:75-76

Between the lightning and the thunder kneel in The Quiet Place, and give it to God, whatever it may be, and trust Him to walk with you though it.

Remember that the will of God will never lead you, where the grace of God Cannot keep you. He will be right there with you, between the lightning and the thunder.

Take a few moments and listen to this encouraging music video by Casting Crowns "Praise you in this Storm."

When you Struggle with Apathy

It was a frigid wintery morning, with  a northern Alberta wind buffeting the region with an intense frosty chill. The night before, a fierce bitter arctic blizzard had rolled relentlessly across the prairies. It moaned and howled like something that had crawled out of an unholy abyss. It stalked the farm, rattling storm windows and buffeted the house continuously through the long night. 

The snow covered panorama of the surrounding fields was bleakly windswept with mounds of drifting snow that were not there the day before. It was still snowing hard this morning, and  it was possible that some of the outbuildings housing the farming equipment had been damaged, so I dressed warmly to survey the impact of the storm. 

Stepping into the Storm

As I closed the front door, I heard a truck coming slowly down the debris strewn driveway. It pulled to a stop, and I recognized my neighbor Ken who stopped by to see if I needed any help after the blizzard. Farmers are a family.

He stepped out of the truck, and was followed by his big old white dog named Frost. The faithful companion loved to be out chasing down wandering cattle, lost sheep or any other living thing that he could get a bead on. We set off toward the barn, and as always, Frost ran on ahead, and true to his nature the hunt was on, only this morning, the chase was not like anything I had ever seen him do before.

Chasing after the Wind...

Frost  would leap and bark, spinning in circles, snapping at unsuspecting prey that he appeared to be hunting. I looked at Ken and he just shook his head with a sorrowful grim look upon his face.“He’s not been himself for a couple of months now. The vet thinks he is about at the end of his days…..”

Nothing else needed to be said. Frost had been Ken’s second hand on his cattle farm for a number of years. However, the old hunter's  world at present was intensely focused upon one futile objective…chasing after the wind. It was heartbreaking to see this fearless hunter, skilled cattle herder, and loyal companion, now totally disoriented, and frustrated, as he frantically barked and bit at the cold prairie wind on this wintery morning.

The Futility of a Life without God

It was Late one evening, some weeks later, and I was sitting at my desk, trying to work through several complicated life impacting issues that lay inert on the horizon of my future. I looked out the slightly frosted window, and gazed at the snow covered fields that were luminescent in bright moonlight.

Suddenly a gust of wind swirled the snow covered scene outside my window and the image of an old faithful dog, leaped before my eyes, turning this way and that, and I was struck with an intriguing thought:

Maybe the real issue for me this night was that I was spending all of my time trying to find My strategy to sort out my frustrating real life problems. In reality, like the old dog Frost, I was just chasing the wind. I had spent very little time of late in The Quiet Place. Decision making in the Will of God can only take place when His will becomes the focus of our lives.

   

Drifting from The Quiet Place

Spiritual drifting leads naturally to Chasing after the Wind. We are created to worship God in the Quiet Place where His will, not ours, becomes our strategic mind-set in sorting through life's challenging problems.

  
The drifting creates futile patterns in our life and germinates the seed of Apathy which  becomes the critical issue in Spiritual Drifting.

The Apathetic mindset grows slowly, rooting the following attitudes where we become:

Driven in All of our Activities...

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 1:14. 

Principle: Only God gives Purpose to my life.

Exhausted with everything we do...

“Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind “ Ecclesiastes 2:11.  

Principle: Only work that I do for God’s Glory has Purpose.

Consumed by the pursuit of wealth and overwhelmed by loss of financial security...

“To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:26

Principle: Only God can give me a Biblical Perspective on Wealth. 

Apathetic about what used to be meaningful...

“Toil Is Meaningless, so I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:17.

Principle: Only God can give my Work a sense of Value 

Progressively pessimistic with a sarcastic perspective...

“Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 1:17.

Principle: Only God’s Wisdom has any Meaning

Envious for what other people have that we have lost...

“And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:4

Principle: Only God frees my Achievements from Envious Competitiveness


Decision Making in The Will of God

Always remember that God's Word is the only compass that never changes, the only Book that will always tell you the Truth, and the only life Road Map to help you navigate through whatever critical time you are experiencing right this moment. 

Decision making in the Will of God becomes a mindset when our primary goal is to please Him. Storms can dim our view of what is best to do in a given situation because often changing our circumstances becomes more important than changing our attitude in the midst of adversity.

Often we miss the beauty and majesty of the winter storms of life, because we only see the storm, and not the creative display of our God's artistic handiwork (Psalm 19). When trials come our way, they can become strategic trails to a deeper walk with God.

There is strength and courage that we receive when we immerse ourselves in God's Word. He wants each of us to discover the vital importance of spending meaningful time meeting with Him in.... The Quiet Place. 

It is only there that we discover that decision making in the Will of God flows out of our heart desire to please Him, and enjoy unhindered communion. That is where our thinking must be centered, otherwise we are more often just going through the motions in our spiritual walk and finding ourselves...Chasing the Wind.

Please take a moment to listen to this inspiring song that gives insight in how to overcome seasons of Apathy, and the challenge to resist Spiritual Drifting in our lives.

The Motions   By Michael West

When you Face the Unknown

From the time we first begin to explore the world into which we are born, one of the toughest lessons to learn is how to deal with the unknown. Those unpredictable, uncertain, cannot guarantee, just not sure, it could be disastrous realities that just may happen tomorrow. 

The primary reason it is so hard to deal with the unknown is that we only have a small piece of what we can ever be sure of regarding tomorrow.  It wears away at us because we cannot be absolutely certain that it will be anything that we imagine it may be. Lurking away on the periphery of your thoughts, it can work away at your peace of mind today, like a nagging toothache. 

Why it is hard to deal with the Unknown

All of life is in a continuous merge of changing circumstances. We are created to be planners, goal setters and are purpose driven by nature. Every time an event happens that can touch your life, all of the variables change with it: the how, why, who, when and where, change with it…second by second by second by second. No wonder it is so difficult dealing with the Unknown.

Facing the Challenge of the Unknown

There are certain personalities that have a harder time with the unknown. 

The more perfectionist, detailed and structured the person, the more stressful the unknown becomes. However, in The Quiet Place as we worship God, we are transformed by His presence, and soothed by His peace. When everything else seems to be falling apart, and we have no control over the details of the Unknown, we can stop striving, and begin to rest in His protective care over ourselves and our loved ones.

Yield Control of the Unknown to God

Our earlier life experiences can make it harder to deal with the unknown. The more a child lives with traumatic events, where they had no control over the tough times they experienced, the more the unknown becomes an issue. The bottom line is that we all struggle with the unknown.  The older we become, the more we realize how little control we have over anything.

^“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. “ Matthew 6:25- 34

Yield Depression and Anxiety to God

When a person struggles with depression and anxiety issues, it is harder to deal with the unknown.  The brain’s Limbic System controls our emotional responses to everything that we experience. One’s perception of the future becomes their reality. Hormonal secretions race through the body and impact mood, and motivation. What is real is what they feel, and many times it is laced with dread.

Yield your Finances and Needs to God

Today most people are living with limited financial resources. Getting downsized at work, being laid off, terminated or being unable to work due to health issues all impact how we look at the unknown. Having a greater responsibility for others to care for also makes it harder to deal with the unknown. 

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

God has a Purpose in the Unknown

Recognize that God allows hard times to teach us to humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge Him always and in all things as Lord. Like the seasons of nature, God weaves His Sovereign plan from the budding of blessings in the spring, to the storms that hit our lives in the winter of the soul.

^“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

God has a Plan in the Unknown

Remember that God wants us to maintain a Biblical view of life, and the foundation is to be built upon seeking wisdom from the Scriptures.


Maintain a Biblical Strategy to Face the Unknown 

^“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  James 1:5

Maintain a Biblical Strategy in your Thought Patterns 
 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

 Maintain a Biblical Strategy in your Daily Planning

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.^” Proverbs 3:5-6

God Gives Peace to Face the Unknown

Rest in God’s peace and trust Him to  use the unknown future in your life as a means to be glorified through you however it turns out.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.”  Jeremiah 17:7


^“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6

A Prayer for this moment

"Lord of all things and Creator of Heaven and earth, I thank you that you invite me to call you my Heavenly Father. You have led me to yourself through your Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, and have redeemed me through His precious Blood. The horizon of my tomorrows is unknown to me. In your infinite all knowing wisdom you have chosen to not give me access to what is ahead, for it may be too much for me to handle today. I kneel before you and release the anxiety and burden of the Unknown to your Sovereign Will."

The Lord Jesus taught us to pray...

"Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever.”   (From Matthew 6:9-13)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the Heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

Take a few moments and listen to this encouraging music video by Mercy Me entitled "Word of God Speak."

When you have a Broken Life

With broken pieces of my life I try to build once more,
I cut my fingers on the glass, a mess upon the floor.
How can I rebuild broken dreams into a better thing,
When complications fill my mind and heartaches play like strings?





  





  
I lift the pieces from the floor and throw them all away,

yet one remains to puzzle me and remind of better days.
It is called hope and seems to be a way to start again,

my life so out of focus now, it says I must begin.

To find for me my special place, a haven from the storm,

and never let my true self try to mimic or conform.
So take the bitter with the sweet, the winter with the spring,
as day by day my song takes flight as my heart begins to sing.

The melody will lift the heart of the weary and the sad,
As I begin to radiate the healing that I've had.
Don't ever think a life's so gone you cannot take the chance,
to take the hand of your inner child and lead her in the dance.

As others see you come their way, your walk will be so sure,
that living life and finding hope is not a simple cure.
It comes with reaching up and breathing gentle prayer,
the gift you're given, a door of hope, now handle it with care. 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

“I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.³ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."  Psalm 40: 1-3 


Listen to this song on video by Matthew West, as it is encouraging and inspirational for girls who have been wounded in their lives and continue to be...broken.

Trusting God when everything is going wrong

Sometimes in life, we find ourselves living on the backside of the desert. Frustrated, angry and feeling confused about prayer, faith and trusting God. It may be influenced by a prolonged period of spiritual dryness, long term illness, or depression. Many people find career downsizing and unemployment to feel like they have been thrust into a dry desert pilgrimage, with no hope in sight to regain financial stability. 

We may not even know why the desert is there in our lives, but the series of set-backs begin to create a domino syndrome as problem after problem tumbles through your life. We may find ourselves blaming everyone and everything, even God. However, desert pilgrimages may be permitted by God as a means to deepen our spiritual lives, not punish us for past sins.

David experienced seasons of wandering out in a desert wilderness with nothing going right, and no end in sight. On one occasion he was being pursued by his son Absalom.While on his way back to Jerusalem, he had to pass through the dry, desolate Valley of Baca. A bitter cruel land with little resources to sustain him, and with his strength ever weakening. It was here that he wrote Psalm 84. It was written to be played on the Lyre as a song of worship in this Quiet Place.

David discovered  4 principles in the desert that he reflects  upon in this psalm:

The Desert Creates a Thirst for God

When resources  are gone and there is no where else to turn, we finally turn to God. David was no where near Jerusalem, yet in his heart and mind it was as if he were. He reflected,

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psalm 84: 1-2

He was thirsty...yearning to be in the presence of God.  The desert experience, should so arouse our soul, that we become parched and yearn to bask in God's presence.

  

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"  Psalm 42:2

The Desert Restores a Desire to Praise God

When we are in the desert, it is so tempting to blame God. Strained finances, ruined reputations, loss of employment, hopes and dreams, can be devastating. Deep within our hearts we can muse that God could do something about it, but He hasn't.The desert is a lonely place, but the heart can begin to praise God while we cry out in a hushed whisper,

"O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah:"

Psalm 84:4

"That my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever." Psalm 30:12

The Desert Reminds us to Depend upon God

In the desert the first thing we do is try to muscle,  bargain, or bribe our way out of tough circumstances. God desires to be our strength and our primary resource in the desert. He wants our heart to depend upon Him, to rely on Him, and trust that He will provide all the strength we need. 

When the desert becomes a pilgrimage to deepen our experience of God. rather than a means to get through a tough time, we will begin to change from the inside out. 

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion." Psalm 84:5-7

The Desert Awakens the Heart to Worship God

"Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.  Selah Look upon our shield ,O God; look with favor on your anointed one. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.  For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Beloved) O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you." Psalm 84: 8-13

When you find yourself in the Desert

Acknowledge  your need to have God identify any areas that may be minimizing your thirst for spiritual renewal, and personal spiritual revival.

"For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13 Amplified Bible (AMP) 

Only Jesus Christ can fill the spirit of a person who believes in Him, and opens their life to His Lordship.

"Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water." John 7:37-38 

Begin praising God for your desert and begin to  rediscover a renewed dependency upon Him.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. "1 Thessalonians 5:18
 
Recognize that depending upon God for all things brings glory to Him, and deepens your faith.

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

 
Your desert pilgrimage just may be the best thing that ever happened to you.

   

Take a few moments and reflect upon the encouraging and inspiring words to this song by Matt Redman called "Ever Faithful."