Anyway, I have some idea what yesterday was like for many families living in the southeast. (And while we lost a home to a fire as a child, I never lost one to a tornado.) The last tornado I was in, for over a month, I would wake at the slightest sound thinking it was another tornado. I was jumpy and fearful. And a grown adult! Can you imagine what these precious children are going through?
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| The Crawford Family |
With so many hit by the tornados, it's hard to fathom how to help. But let me make it a bit more personal. If you read Raising Homemakers, you may know Kelly Crawford who is a contributor there. Her family is safe and well, but today they have no home. You can read about their experience and needs at Raising Homemakers or at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home where you'll find additional links and a video, including the story of the Lee family who lost their husband and father.
Lord, we are truly thankful for Your mercies despite what appears to be a great tragedy from our human perspective. Grant these families and others your grace and courage to face the days ahead while glorifying You! Help us to be Your hands and feet during this time of trial for our brothers and sisters in Christ and for those who do not yet call You Lord. Use this to bring them into the fold.
I can't begin to imagine what they're going through. My prayers go out to everyone affected by the devastating tornados.
ReplyDeleteWith you praying for all those that have suffered from all these storms.
ReplyDeleteI myself as a child have been through frightening tornados and to this day very high winds and the slight sound like a jet engine in the winds scare me. I feel so sorry for those who lost loved ones and their homes! I pray for everyone of them !
ReplyDeleteOH My I had no idea about Kelly losing her home - I read about the terrible tornado devestation on the news & I knew that she & a couple of other blogs I read are in the area & I was praying for them - will continue to do so - thanks Amy for this update
ReplyDeleteRenata
Thank you for caring and sharing. I was just wondering how I could help those who have lost so much in a direct and immediate manner.
ReplyDeleteI love logging online each day and reading your blog, today I felt moved to comment about the tornados you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't imagine the force of nature that is a tornado. The incredible distruction one causes as it rips through houses and farms is heartbreaking, deadly and seemingly randam as well.
We live in Christchurch, New Zealand and have experienced a series of big earthquakes and aftershocks for 7 months now. At any moment day or night, while you are out and about and separated from loved ones, we are under the threat of nasty shakes. In fact we have had almost 5000 quakes since September 4th. We live with this fear 24 hours a day.
So I empathise completely with the plights of those American familes.
Lee-Anne
Amy,
ReplyDeleteI wrote a post yesterday about surviving a tornado hitting our family home in Anniston, Ala. while we were inside in 1967 because this series of tornadoes and tornadic activity brought back a flood of memories.
Your prayer is most well-said.
Thank you for your post.
The very God who controls the winds and the waves (see Jesus on the sea of Galilee), even unto the destruction of His loved ones (see Job), is still in control. He loves us through devastation, fires, earthquakes, death and disease (see Job) and allows us to endure such trials oftentimes for reasons unknown to us. We can rest in knowing all this is for our good, the Lee's good, and the Crawford's good and God's glory. May He be further glorified as we reach out to those hit by the storms with love and compassion.
ReplyDeleteIt was just brought to my attention that the other family that lost their father in this storm- the Lee's- was a member of this little homesteading community you have here Amy. She posted a link to your Barn Hop on Monday in fact from their new blog- http://barnhousenews.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteDonations are being made to all of the families here:
http://www.providencepeoria.org/2011/04/28/tornado-relief-efforts/