This extraordinary photograph, believed to depict Jesus, carries with it a profound reminder of faith’s power in the midst of life’s storms. As Matthew 14:22-33 demonstrates, it’s best to keep your eyes on Jesus, not the storm. This image and its story serve as a powerful symbol of that lesson.

In mid-1984, an Australian woman was flying across the Tasman Sea to visit friends in Auckland, New Zealand, when her flight hit a severe electrical storm. As turbulence rocked the plane and lightning lit up the sky, passengers were understandably on edge. Many began to panic, our storyteller/photographer and the woman next to her started to pray, “Lord you stilled the storm 2,000 years ago, please do it again.” The prayed for the storm to still inside as well as outside the plane. Within moments a calm swept over the panicked passengers. Everyone inside the plane was at peace though the storm still raged outside. The woman found herself overwhelmed by a calm so profound, she felt inspired to try to capture the moment somehow.

She took a photo through the plane’s window, expecting nothing more than a snapshot of stormy clouds illuminated by lightning. The storm stopped immediately after she took the photo and they soon landed safely.

A few days later, after dropping her film off for development in Auckland, she received a call from the photo lab asking her to come in. She arrived to find the shop manager visibly shaken—but not in a bad way. He eagerly asked where she had taken one particular photo. When she saw it, her jaw dropped.

What had seemed like an ordinary storm photo now appeared to capture something truly extraordinary. The manager, deeply moved, began to ask questions, leading to a conversation that ultimately changed his life. The experience she shared, sparked his own spiritual journey, which then spread to his family.

The photo quickly became a symbol of faith and inspiration, spreading across New Zealand and Australia during the late 1980s. The woman’s church in Sydney was especially impacted, with copies of the image and its story circulating far and wide.

In the chaos of a turbulent flight, it was faith, not fear, that brought peace to those who sought it. This moment stands as a testament to the transformative strength of looking beyond the trials around us and focusing on the one who calms the storm.

Leave it to our lord and savior to turn a terrifying flight into an unforgettable moment that connected people and strengthened their faith in unexpected ways. Even decades later, the story of that stormy flight continues to inspire.

This experience was shared by a lady in David Pawson’s congregation.