Sometimes life throws you into a storm so tempestuous that it becomes hard to see the lighthouse beckoning you to safety. Right now, I’m standing in the midst of my own hurricane, whirling between faith and fear. To say I’m feeling hopeless would be an understatement.

In honoring my true self, I made the gut-wrenching decision to leave a job that was my financial anchor; it contributed 66 percent of my income. I’d accepted it to provide financial support to my kids as they started their college careers. I had a different job, but the salary wasn’t enough to support our daily needs and their education. The work was also unfulfilling. I felt constrained and unsupported, so I used that lack of fulfillment in my other job as fuel to perform well in my new role.

Within six months, I was promoted. Energized by being seen, I poured my all into the new job. But soon, I felt constrained, stressed, and unsupported in the new role, and the new position became a source of extreme mental and emotional pain. Now, I am surrounded by emptiness on all sides and am questioning my worth and professional capabilities. I feel like I’m back to square one, staring into an abyss of uncertainty.

I’ve dreamed of building a health coaching business to empower Black women, but that vision seems more like a mirage. Profits are negligible, and every strategy I’ve tried has been a dead end. It’s as if the universe is screaming, “You’re not meant to succeed!” In these moments of despair, I remember a verse that’s carried me through other storms:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

To me, this verse isn’t just ink on paper, it’s a living promise—an anchor. When my world seems to spiral out of control, those words call me back, offering a glimmer of hope and reminding me that even if I falter, I won’t fall. God will catch me. The net may be invisible, but it’s there.

So, what does it mean to have hope during the storm?

It means refusing to let fear dictate my path. If I bow down to my anxieties, I limit the space for miracles to unfold. Yes, my health coaching business isn’t booming yet, but every storm runs out of rain. My struggles are not the end; they are the turbulent rains that will lead to a breathtaking rainbow. So, instead of focusing on my fears, I’ve put that energy into what I can control. I’m revisiting my goals, updating my business strategy, redefining what success looks like, and creating a path forward. The climb may be uphill, but at least I’m moving.

The path remains uncertain, but I’ve chosen to illuminate it with hope. In doing so, I am finding new strengths previously hidden: the strength to adapt, the strength to innovate, and, more importantly, the strength to endure. Just like that, the storm doesn’t seem as terrifying anymore.

So, to anyone else caught in a tempest, questioning if you’ll ever find your way, remember that you’re never alone on your journey. And sometimes the most profound transformations occur when the winds are howling and the sky is dark. Hold onto hope—the most buoyant of life vests—and let it carry you back to shore. As long as you have hope, you have everything you need to weather any storm.

My life may be a work in progress, but I’m beginning to understand that it’s an invitation to grow, evolve, and emerge from this storm not broken but whole—not defeated but more potent. As I tread these turbulent waters, I’m learning that my most reliable compass is the hope radiating from within, guided by a force far greater than any storm I’ll ever face.