More than 30 years before Hurricane Sandy caused so much devastation along the east coast, officials warned New York politicians to prepare for a storm of huge proportions. They foretold a towering storm surge, overwhelming flooding, swamped subway lines and widespread power outages—all of which occurred when the super storm hit land.

In spite of the warning, many people were caught unaware. They were not prepared for the storm, and they are suffering in its aftermath.

Jesus warns that life will be stormy. We can’t always anticipate the details of where and how they will occur, but the storms of life are a certainty. We can’t avoid these storms, but we can be prepared for them by living out the principles that Jesus taught.

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”—Matthew 7:24-25.