Back in October 1991 one of the strongest storms ever recorded in history hit off the coast of Gloucester Massachusetts to be referred to then and even today as "The Perfect Storm". This name was fitting because of a rare combination of factors creating perfect conditions that allowed three storms to combine into one in the Atlantic Ocean causing fishermen and th
eir boats to encounter one of the most terrifying experiences of natures strength. While the ending to this true story was not a happy one because of the many lives that were lost and the devastation felt by families left behind and the community, I'd like for you to consider the Perfect Storm from a different perspective. A rare combination of factors creating opportunity and encouraging a spirit of discovery.

In December of 2011, Jeremy Lin was cut by the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. This wasn't the first devastation experienced by Lin, he had definitely been here before.  Self doubt and anxiety surrounding whether he was even cut out to play among the most elite players of the NBA was abound. But in that same month in it's latter part, the perfect storm started to form for Lin.  He was signed as a fifth string point guard for the New York Knicks, his third team in just a year. His first try he played one minute twenty seven seconds missing his only shot sending him back to the D league. But after scoring double digits in that first game the Knicks brought him back and when a key player of the team suffered a setback from a previous injury, Lin got his chance.  After his first game back he became a starter. After his second game, he became the talk of the nation. After his third, he became a cinderella story in the making.  Marcus Thompson of Mercury News said it best regarding Jeremy Lin: "He's gone from having a non-guaranteed minimum contract and sleeping on his brothers couch to having America concerned whether or not the Knicks can pay him enough to keep him".

While I'm sure that many would agree that these two very real stories involving a "perfect storm" are quite the opposite,  yet they too share very similar struggles along their journey.  In both storms an extraordinary amount of courage was exercised and they both experienced a breathless sense of what it feels like to be caught and helpless, in the grip of a force of nature beyond their control and understanding (Amazon online book description of a perfect storm). But what Jeremy Lin said in a recent interview sums it all up.  He states, "AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS, GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE (Romans 8:28). I'm almost certain that if the fisherman were here today or if they could speak for a moment from wherever they now rest, they would agree 100% with Jeremy Lin and their comparative experience with "The Perfect Storm".