Hope

I was so conflicted on what to write, what to share today. A day when less than 48 hours ago, a major hurricane ripped up through parts of the panhandle, just miles east of where we live. I feel like at such times, words are hard to formulate. It’s hard to know what to say or really what to do. It’s hard to have hope. I don’t know much about what to feel in such times, but I know that God is sovereign. I know in times of pain, He is especially near. Jesus says in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” He is the great comforter, the only real hope, and the one who can truly restore.

On Monday my husband and I began to prepare for Hurricane Michael that quickly developed and was expected to hit the coast as a category 2 hurricane. Before the day was over, that expectation grew to a category 3 headed directly toward our home. Monday night we were notified of a mandatory evacuation order for the zone we live in and by 6am Tuesday we were on the road, evacuating to Tennessee to my parents’ house. By the end of the day Tuesday we went to bed with the possibility of Michael strengthening to a Category 4 and hitting our house sometime on Wednesday.

Wednesday morning we awoke to news that the hurricane was for sure going to make landfall as a Category 4, just shy of becoming a 5. Hours after, we learned that it had shifted east just enough that the eye would not hit us directly. However, just 20+ miles east of our home was expected to be ripped apart.

The entire day Wednesday was full of so many emotions. So much praying, watching, and waiting. By late afternoon the bittersweet feelings set in. Feelings of gratefulness that our little piece of the panhandle had been spared, missed by the skin of our teeth really, but heartbroken at the same time for our neighbors just east of us starting with Panama City Beach, Panama City, Mexico Beach, Apalachicola, Port St Joe, and even the communities on the outskirts and further up north and inland that suffered great devastation.

In looking at the footage and hearing of the loss from friends and family of friends, my heart breaks. In looking things seem so dark, desolate, and hopeless. However, hope is a lot like faith. Hope is the feeling and desire for an expectation, the feeling of trust. We can not see hope, it’s beyond what we can see in the physical. Hope does not disappoint. Hope is there in the midst of darkness, shining it’s light. That light, that hope is through Jesus. “Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” II Corinthians ‭4:6‬

I encourage you today to seek hope. It is there. Maybe you are walking through a storm. Maybe you just came through one. Maybe you know someone that is walking through a storm. Maybe you are our friends, our neighbors, to the east that have just literally came through this horrific storm. The aftermath looks devastating. Seek hope. Seek light. Friends that are currently so fortunate to be on the other side, the “good side” as we were of the storm, be hope. Be light. Be Jesus to the world.

There are many ways you can help the panhandle. Many of you are there, willing, skilled, and able to use your hands to rescue, repair, and restore. Please do. Many of you have the ability to buy and donate tangible supplies. Please do. Many of you have the ability to give financially (I am attaching a link in the comments below where you can securely give through our church that we love, trust, tithe, and attend in which 100% of the donations will go directly to the relief efforts for the storm).  Please do. All of you have the ability to pray for the panhandle and all effected by Hurricane Michael. DO. Please do.

Panama City Beach, Panama City, Mexico Beach, Apalachicola, Port St Joe, Chipley, Lynn Haven, Blountstown, Marianna, ALL of the communities, neighbors, friends, and families affected by Hurricane Michael, don’t lose hope. Things seem overwhelming. Things look devastating. But just you wait, help is on the way. Hope is not lost. “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalm‬ ‭33:20-22‬