You know what the storm I’m talking about, Hurricane Dorian.  This time I found a piece of God’s strength more powerful than the force of nature.

Here I am facing another natural disaster.  It is a part of life.  We all face them.  God has created this force we call ‘nature’ that is beyond our control.  Let’s set up where I am coming from, my educational background is in biology.  Science has fascinated me for as long as I can remember.  I can tell you from my studies, science has been working to control the weather since time began.

We have harnessed a bit of nature’s power but controlling it has eluded us. Dams and dikes can break, hurricanes swamp us, and fire, earthquakes, and tornadoes destroy.  There is only one who can control the forces of nature, the Creator:

 ³⁹ He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. ⁴⁰ Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” ⁴¹ They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

[Mark 4:39-41 YLT*]

This is the first hurricane where this passage finally makes sense to me.  When reading this passage, I would think.  Yeah, it makes sense.  Jesus is right there in the boat, don’t fear.  Okay got it.  I hate to say it… But, for years I didn’t live it.

Not only do tropical systems give me physical pain (migraines, joint pain, etc.), I also get afraid of what might happen.  Watching Dorian’s path I recalled sitting on my bed in 2004. We were looking at a battery operated black-and-white TV with a screen not much bigger than my phone.  I sat in terror watching a monster storm named Frances head for our shores.

They had said it would make landfall at the inlet in my town, only about 3 miles from my house.  What if we lost the roof?  I had ten other souls under my roof.  I cried out to God for protection.  My faith was not as strong as it is now, but God listened.   The storm shifted north making landfall about 30 miles away.  Yes, we still had more than twenty hours of stormy weather, lost power for eight days, and had some roof damage.  It wasn’t easy, but the Lord protected those under my roof and saved my home.  The terror I felt was not from God.  The protection was from Him.

It also scared me when category five Michael threatened in 2016.  This year another category five storm is off our shoreline.  The fear isn’t here.  On Wednesday, someone asked me if I had shuttered my windows, I scoffed. “We put up the shutters when the wind starts to blow.”  At work, people started pressuring me to PREPARE!  After a while I said.  “We will prepare and deal with it as it comes.”  It was not the answer they wanted to hear.  For me, I let go of the drama.  What a great feeling!

I see no reason in sensationalizing the moment to scare people into doing something.  If the worst doesn’t happen, you’ve just cried “wolf!”  Keep doing it and people won’t believe you.

I don’t believe the hype anymore.  We stay prepared with batteries, food, and water year-around. You could call us mini-preppers.  When the wind starts to blow, first we put our faith in God, then we shutter up, fill up water jugs, and start eating what’s in the fridge and freezer.  No need to panic.

As my mother keeps telling me, “God will see you through it, whatever it is, and if the worst happens, you will be with Him.”  I finally believe her.  God and my mom know what they are talking about.  They keep their promises.

We are expecting tropical storm conditions to start tomorrow.  My husband finished the shutters and I packed for activation of my agency’s EOC (emergency operations center).  Yes, I am assigned to the EOC this time around.  I will fill you in once the storm duties are over.

^9 [e] In peace I will lie down and fall asleep,
    for you alone, Lord, make me secure. [Psalms 4:9 YLT]

Whatever you are facing, prepare and trust in Him.  Peace to you,

Milly

*YLT–Young’s Literal Translation

Footnote from YLT:  ^e4:9 In peace I will… fall asleep: the last verse repeats two themes in the Psalm. One is the security of one who trusts in the true God; the other is the interior peace of those who sincerely repent ( “on [their] beds”), whose sleep is not disturbed by a guilty conscience.