God is amazing! When we go through difficult situations, He gives reminders that He’s still there. He never flees. He never says “I can’t handle this.” He never crumbles under pressure.
The day after Dad had the stroke, my friend Tom and I were sitting in the chapel praying. At that point in time, we thought Dad wasn’t going to make it. Behind the alter was a painting of a river. It was painted as if a picture was taken by someone standing in the middle of it. Tom asked, “David, do you know what song that painting reminds you of?” I believe I said, “God Will Make a Way.” He sad, “There is a river that never shall run dry.” I never forgot that, and to this day, I have a mental image of that painting.
It’s one thing to see a disaster on tv and think how horrible it must be for the people living there. However, it’s quite another if it’s a place where you used to live. My wife went through this last year when Hurricane Ian hit Ft. Myers. We would see images on tv, and my wife would say, “I know where that is!” I could also tell you of stories like my father-in-law holding his garage door up against a 100+mph wind. She has friends there who lost their homes.
On 9/11, something amazing happened when the Pentagon was bombed. While going through the rubble and stuff, someone discovered a Bible still sitting on a table still in one piece. God was there.
When I realized Hurricane Helene was going to hit the Big Bend of Florida, I was afraid because I have family and friends who were in the direct path, including my parents. My heart sank and I started praying. Thankfully my parents were ok, even though they, like so many living in that area, had property damage (minimal to their home, though). My dad told me the power pole on their property snapped in half. Also, the water fountain in their front yard was destroyed.
The area they live in is a rural area. It’s a place where everybody knows everybody. One family that lives there has a cabin where they have get-togethers at. In fact a wedding shower was held there for my wife and I. Behind the cabin is a pond. Several years ago, the head of this branch of the family had built a cross and put it in the ground next to the pond.
Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the cabin from the pictures I’ve seen. However, something incredible happened. With all of the damage done to the cabin, the cross by the pond, which was not sheltered in any way, remains untouched in the same spot. It was not taken down before the storm hit.
Now tell me there’s no God!