In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm

Your Storm Doesn’t Have to Sink You

At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves in a boat in the middle of a lake. We might be there due to a job loss or the death of a loved one. Maybe disability, divorce, or financial insecurity has stranded us. Patrick and Ruth Schwenk found themselves feeling battered after five miscarriages and then surrounded by the waves with Patrick’s cancer diagnosis at age forty-three. They were alone. Drifting. And that’s when their transformation began.

In this compassionate and powerful book, the Schwenks weave together lessons from their own experience with insightful Bible teaching to remind us that one of the greatest ways God transforms us is through trials. As they unpack why Jesus called the disciples into the middle of a lake when dry ground was so safe and comfortable, they help us

• understand why the depth of our hurt enables us to experience deep hope;
• learn to conquer fear to experience the freedom God has for us; and
• discover how God uses chaos, and not just the classroom, to shape and work through us.

Today—in your confusion about God’s intentions, your disappointment over lost dreams, your disillusionment about prayer—God is offering hope. Because Jesus is still Lord over the water. And while he is not moved by the waves, he is moved by you. And this flood might just be a path to abundance.

“A powerful reminder that our current reality is not our final reality, and God is Lord over all chaos and suffering!”

—Candace Cameron Bure, actress and New York Times bestselling author

Ruth Schwenk is the founder of the popular blog TheBetterMom.com and the trusted author of several books, including In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake (coauthored with her late husband, Patrick), Jesus, Calm My Heart, The Better Mom Devotional, and, with Karen Ehman, Settle My Soul, Pressing Pause, and Trusting God in All the Things. Writing from her own journey of both deep joy and heartbreaking loss, Ruth brings honesty, comfort, and hope to women in every season of life. A Michigan football superfan and self-proclaimed foodie, Ruth calls the beautiful state of Michigan home, along with her four children, two pugs, and their loyal Labrador retriever. Connect with her at ruthschwenk.com.

Patrick Schwenk is a pastor of nearly twenty years and the co-author of Faith Forward Family Devotional and For Better or For Kids: A Vow to Love Your Spouse with Kids in the House. He is also the co-founder, with his wife Ruth, of the popular blog FortheFamily.org and the podcast Rootlike Faith. Along with being a Michigan sports super fan, he loves to read and spend time with his family. Patrick has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Biola University and lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife, four children, two hamsters, and a loyal Labrador Retriever.