Tag: Hurricane Harvey

The Hands And Feet Of Jesus

Walking Examples of Grace and Mercy

I hope you all had a blessed Labor Day.

It certainly was newsworthy.

Flooding in South Texas

*Photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez. Port Arthur, Texas, August 31, 2017. U.S. Air National Guard.

The devastating pictures of Hurricane Harvey’s path of destruction in South Texas, plus the threat of two new storms, Irma and Jose, has a lot of people on edge.

It’s understandable to ask God “Why?” and “When are things going to calm down?”

I wish we had all the answers right now, but life doesn’t work that way.

The Hands And Feet Of Jesus

Thank You, Jesus, for what we DO know.

hands and feet of Jesus

Guaranteed, in the midst of this tragedy, His light is seen in the darkness. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.

  • A big thank you to the dear people from all over the country who are donating money and supplies.
  • Thank you to the convoys of trucks, cars pulling u-hauls, and boats headed to the flood zones with food and necessities. (A shout out to the Louisiana Cajun Navy. I’d never heard of them before, but I’m now a big fan.)
  • Thank you to the emergency responders working non-stop and putting the lives of others above their own.
  • Thank you also to the churches and individuals who prayed and are continuing to pray for the relief efforts.

If any of these bullet points describe you (and I bet one of them does), you are not just a bullet point.

In these instances, you are acting as the hands and feet of Jesus. One of the best ways to delight in God is to serve others. Your selfless actions do not go unnoticed. The following verses from the Apostle Peter were written to encourage Christians of that time to use their gifts for serving others. Peter’s message also rings true for us today.

**10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:10, English Standard Version (ESV).

Glorifying God, Despite the Odds

Sharing the love of Christ to those in need glorifies God.

But, how can we glorify God when we are the ones who are suffering and in need?

The hands and feet of Jesus serving others

Share the love of Christ with those in need

Fear about our circumstances is emotionally painful, and we don’t understand why it’s happening to us.

Someday we will know, but in the meantime, blaming God is never the answer.

It may be hard to grasp this, but suffering refines us into a deeper fellowship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus, who suffered more than any human being on earth, understands our pain.

As you pray, ask for His comfort, strength, and peace.

As you walk with Him through your difficulty, no matter how long your emotional or physical pain lasts, you will have a testimony building of His grace.

I believe Nick Vujicic is an excellent example of this. Nick was born without arms or legs. And we think we have difficulties?

Instead of giving up and blaming God, Nick uses his challenges to magnify God’s purpose for his life.

Look Around

Whatever you are experiencing, you don’t have to go through it alone.

Please don’t let your suffering and self-doubts swallow you up inside.

Pray your own prayers to God, ask Him for His mercy and guidance going forward, and reach out to your Christian friends for support.

Support and love from those acting as the hands and feet of Jesus can be a lifeline as we wait for His glorious return.

Jesus is our only Hope.

God bless

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*South Texas flooding photo, courtesy of SC National Guard (170831-Z-AH923-081) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez.
**Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
***Video clip, courtesy of “Heart of the Artist.” Uploaded by Storytelling Pictures. Published Friday, April 12, 2013. Online video clip. Vimeo. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/63902097. Web.

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Catastrophic Flood In Houston

Catastrophic Flood in Houston And Surrounding Areas

Have you seen the pictures and videos of the horrible flooding in Southeast Texas?

My heart breaks for the residents of Houston, Beaumont, Rockport, and surrounding areas along the Texas coastline.

Catastrophic flood in Houston

*Photo credit, NOAA/NESTA

As you may already know, Hurricane Harvey, once a category 4, eventually became a tropical storm.

The storm continued to move along at a snail’s pace, all the while dumping record amounts of rain on Houston, Port Aransas, and surrounding areas. You’d think and hope it’s over, but it isn’t.

Our neighbors to the south are picking up the pieces of their lives. Livestock, family pets stranded – the list is endless of those in need.

They all desperately need our prayers, as do the first responders, emergency personnel, and volunteers headed to the flood zones.

Waters Rising Higher

After church last Sunday, my husband and I ate with some friends at a local restaurant here in North Texas. While we were eating, it started pouring buckets and buckets of rain.

The rainfall lasted about an hour, but then it was over and the sun came out. I couldn’t help thinking about how, if we had lived in Houston right now, the flooding would seem like its never going to end.

I saw one estimate from the weather prediction center that, as of Tuesday morning, August 29th, Houston had over 25 inches of rain. This is a crowded metropolis with a huge population. **Four major bayous pass through the city. Not a good combination.

rainfall totals

I can’t emphasize enough, it’s not just the residents of Houston taking the brunt of the storm. For instance, ***the Cedar Bayou area had over 48 inches of rain.

There’s an estimate from the weather service that rainfall totals could reach 50 inches in some places.

Fifty inches? Oh my word.

It must be some comfort to the flood victims to see the many volunteers from all over the country pitching in. Texas Governor Greg Abbott was on top of the situation from the very beginning. We are very grateful for his leadership.

God Is There

While some in the mainstream media seek to lay blame, what I’m encouraged by is the epitome of the American spirit on display. People are pitching in, donating money and supplies, and arriving in watercraft to help the stranded.

God is there in the midst of the flooding.

He is there in the spirit of these American heroes who are putting the lives of others above their own.

Houston and surrounding areas, we are praying for you!

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NASB.

For those of you who would like to donate to the relief efforts, I would be remiss if I didn’t list two links to reputable online giving opportunities:

Samaritans Purse

Texas Baptist Men

God bless.

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*Hurricane Harvey photo courtesy of NOAA/NESTA. Released into public domain. (Uploaded 2017, August). [originally uploaded in NESTA]. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs398/en/

**Wikipedia statistics,courtesy of Wikipedia contributors, “Houston,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Houston&oldid=797881601 (accessed August 29, 2017).               

***Rainfall statistics retrieved from http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html  

****Scripture quotation is from New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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