INSPIRASUNS

One year ago today we watched as an absolute Monster of a storm roared through SW Florida, and actually made its way through pretty much the entire state. Ian was massive and it was an “equal opportunity” storm. It didn’t matter if you were a millionaire or lived in a one-room apartment, everything you owned was on the street in the mud, muck, and sand. The water, which came in with a vengeance along with the king tide, it was absolutely everywhere.

The bridge to Sanibel Island, was totally destroyed, pieces of it lay like toothpicks at the bottom of the ocean. The island was cut off totally by car for weeks. Power stations were destroyed. Those power stations just didn’t go off line, they were totally destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Ft. Myers Beach, it was simply emptied. Nothing, no buildings were left standing. Everything was gone. But yet, in downtown Ft Myers, there were boats, boats in the middle of the streets. The force of the water carried them everywhere, well everywhere except where they were supposed to be.

Our local TV station WINK News, which provided up to the second details, we watched as the head weatherman had to sign off because their newsroom was filled with 3.5′ of water. They went dark for days.

Our church, the same 3.5′ of water. The picture that day of the water halfway up the doors, and then again, the mud and the muck that it left behind as it receded. It destroyed our organ, and left the children’s Sunday school rooms a smelly, mucky mess, bibles and prayer books waterlogged and unusable. The church offices, more of the same.

I remember in the days after Ian, driving down to my friend’s condo to help her unload things. They live right across the street from the ocean. I will never ever forget the images of that day. I turned the corner onto the street that ran down between her home and the ocean. I have never ever seen anything like it. It simply looked like a warzone. There was mud and sand and debris, literally everywhere I turned. The mud, I’d never seen so much mud.

Yes, one year ago SW Florida was hit with the worst hurricane on record. It was a monster storm that did incredible damage. A year later some businesses are still trying to reopen. The devastation was like nothing I’ve ever seen.

However, I saw more than devastation in those days and weeks that followed. I saw an incredible outpouring of love and support from all of the communities. Strangers came together to help each other. People you didn’t even know stepped up to help carry garbage bags of things to dumpsters, they used brooms and buckets, or they made food and brought drinking water. People just came together to do what needed to be done to help each other. We came together and helped each other see the light at the other end of the road. We gave of ourselves, we lifted each other where we could, and we just cared for each other. Because of this storm, I have an incredible group of friends, people I feel like I’ve known my whole life. We came together during disaster and have been connected ever since.

In the days that followed Ian, like has happened in so many disasters, we saw the worst and the best of humanity. We saw God’s children doing what needed to be done. Father was in our midst and Father gave us strength. As I mentioned in this little blog yesterday, a broken bone heals stronger than it was before. I think the same can be said about communities after disaster hits. We will rebuild, we will overcome and we will be stronger than before.

Life will continue to throw challenges and changes at us friends. It’s okay, with Father’s help we can get through it all. He never said it would be easy, but what He did say is that we will never be alone, He will always be here with us. Even until the end of the age.

On this one-year anniversary of Ian, I lift prayers for those who were lost that day, I say prayers for those who are still rebuilding businesses or homes. I say prayers for all the volunteers and workers who, over the past year have helped to rebuild. I thank Father for the gift of lifelong friends met during this time. I thank Father for His children, who have come together to do His work. Thank you Father for always being with us.

John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.