This weekend has had me listening to lots of music.  For those of you who know me well, or anyone who has read some of my older blogs, that is something that I do all the time. It is a part of my life, and as long as I have my hearing, it always will be. This weekend, however, there has been a song that keeps popping into my head. Most of the time, when that happens, it drives me nuts. This time, it has been kind of different, and something has spurred me to talk about it.

The song is “I’m No Stranger To The Rain”. It was originally sung by Keith Whitley and it came out in 1989. Sorry if I am dating myself here, but at that point, I was 9. The song itself is great, and you can find it here. It was a point in my life where things were all over the place. My Mom and Dad were splitting up (the first time around), I had a new baby brother, a new school, and was living with my Aunt. Mom and my brother were there, but yeah, things were kind of sideways in my world at the time. At that point, I could really relate to most of the song. There were some things that I had not experienced yet, but the crux of the song was about perseverance.

As I have progressed in life (and now that everyone knows my age… ), I have experienced many more things. The song, however, is still relevant today. I have fought with the devil in my life, in many ways, and at many times.  I have been sacrificed by people who were out for nothing but personal gain. I have been crucified and stoned by lovers, and some of those scars are still visible. I have stood through all kinds of contests, but I can honestly say, through it all, I have come out on the other side. I have only gotten stronger with each storm that has passed through.

I am not a perfect person, and I have had many hardships in my life. I am sure that there are more to come, because this is just precursor to the life that is waiting on me in Heaven. I know that at some point, all of the storms that have raged through my life will have a meaning. I am not a stranger to the rain. I am not a stranger to tribulations in my life, and nor to I expect them to ever stop. They have gotten easier to handle, as I have put my faith in God. Even though the song is timeless, it has held a different meaning to me at different stages in my life. It will be interesting to see what it means in the next decade to come.