Good morning…
“Two weeks after our wedding in 1989, we lost our home in Hurricane Hugo,” she softly shared with our Monday class. “As a whole community we were in shock, we bonded so deeply, we rallied together. God was so present, in amazing ways. Suffering together through Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD), we pushed through our fears to a new awareness: ‘All that was just stuff.'” She went on to say that Charleston, S.C. is now rebuilt stronger than ever before, and, in many ways, so are the people who suffered the painful devastation together.
On some level everyone in our living room could relate. Some have endured the ravages of cancer, others have battled the effects of bi-polar disorder. Some have lived through the health crises or an early death of a loved one, others have wrestled through the heavy hollowness of depression. Some have struggled to support the gender identity of their teenagers, others have decided to divorce a marriage. On some level, we all could relate to the shock, the bonding, the rallying together. In our shared stories we have felt God so present, in amazing ways.
When the life of our dreams is reduced to rubble, we each give ourselves over to the pain of grief. Overtime, from the inside out, we access inner strength we do not know is ours. As Paula D’Arcy understands firsthand: “To be truly free in this world, you must learn to see that which exists within your heart.” (Seeking God With All My Heart, 81)
Within our human heart exists God’s Holy Spirit power, a power relentlessly seeking to rebuild us stronger.
After suffering through many painful years of infertility, Then Hannah prayed: My heart rejoices in the Lord. My strength rises up in the Lord! My mouth mocks my enemies because I rejoice in your deliverance. No one is holy like the Lord—no, no one except you! There is no rock like our God! (1 Samuel 2:1-2, CEB).
…Sue…
P.S. If you feel drawn to help in the rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Michael, please read the following.
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| Our prayers are with all those affected by Hurricane Michael. Northside’s Disaster Response Team is deploying its first group October 29–November 2, and there are two spots still open on the team. Please contact Steve Herndon, our Disaster Team Leader, at HerndonSC@gmail.com, or Lynette Brown, our Missions Director, at LynetteB@NorthsideUMC.org with questions or to join the team. Click here for more news on Hurricane Michael from the North Georgia Conference. |
