Eight years ago, Sunday started out as a normal Sunday in Laurel, MS where I was serving as a pastor. The sun's rays filled the morning as we prepared to worship, but we were told to get ready for the huge Hurricane headed our way. Even though, we were 90 miles from the coast, this storm looked as though it could bring destruction our way. Sunday afternoon the sky turned dark as the clouds ushered in rain and wind. Throughout the night and the next day, it rained and the wind blew. We had 130 MPH winds. Trees popped and fell across roads, on houses, and in yards as our area also had 25 tornadoes touch down. 15 people were killed in our area.
When the storm stopped, we had destruction all around us. Crews from Georgia Power came through clearing our streets. There was no power, no electricity, and no phone service. By Wednesday, I was able to get to the church. I discovered that we had electricity, phones, and air conditioning. Immediately, I called our conference office to relay the destruction information. Soon, people started coming to the church. We sat up an emergency center for food, water, and other help. Volunteers from all the country came. God is great, glorious, good, and gracious. God supplied our every need as we sought to help our communities recover.
I have been through many natural disasters but none of them was as bad as Hurricane Katrina in my opinion. Yet, in the midst of all of this, I saw and experienced God. I saw God in the lives of the members of the West Laurel United Methodist Church who opened the doors of the church and who volunteered to help the community. I saw God in the faces and lives of Churches all over the country who sent volunteers who spent weeks helping us. To God be the Glory.
As I think about it all, I am reminded of the promise Jesus made, "I am with you always". God never promised us a life free from storms and struggles. God did promise to be with us and God does keep God's word.
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