Cherish these moments, Bolts fans. Over the past few weeks, the flags have adorned our cars, we proudly sport lightning bolts across our chests, and a smile and nod greets you as you pass fellow Lightning faithful on the street. There is no denying that things are good for the Tampa Bay hockey community right now.

But that won’t always be the case this season.

Or, at least, it may not feel quite like this. As of this moment, the Bolts are at the top of the standings, the top of the statistical leaderboard, and the top of the world. They are fun to watch, and everything seems to be going their way. But struggles will come. There will be bad losses to bad teams. The scoring may momentarily dry up, or their speed could get bogged down. Over the course of an 82 game season, it will happen. The question is, how do you react as a fan?

After last year’s disaster of a season, it is tempting for Lightning fans to be quick to panic. "Oh no, it is happening again!" But, I would urge you, if and when storm clouds roll in, stay calm. In my profession, there is a little thing called faith. In fact, this past Sunday, I preached an entire sermon on it. In that message, I defined faith as "trusting despite not knowing." I implore you, Lightning fans, when the bumps in the road come along, have faith and trust in the team you follow. Think back to this moment, this feeling, this joy that you feel right now. Remind yourself that, just as life may not always be great, it also isn’t always bad. The clouds come, and the clouds go, and everything will be alright.

In my last entry on this website, I urged patience and perspective following the Drouin trade. People were outraged that this dynamic young talent was sent packing to a division rival before we ever saw how good he could be. Ironically, that may be the exact sentiment rumbling through heads in Montreal at this very moment. Drouin and the Habs have been mired in mediocrity, while young Mikhail Sergachev and his Bolts have been nothing short of a revelation. Let that be a lesson – things change, and they change quickly. What doesn’t need to change is your outlook, your attitude, your faith.

At this early stage in the season, enjoy the moment. Bask in the glory. But don’t rely upon it. Don’t get too high, and avoid getting too low. Always keep perspective. And have a little faith.