Remember the Tornado?

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."  Colossians 3:23

On April 27, 2011, our community was dramatically changed when over 100 tornadoes ripped through our state leaving behind destroyed property, mangled heaps of debris, and broken lives.  Our neighbors grieved the loss of their loved ones as well all came together to do what we could to put the pieces back together for our friends and those hurting in our community.

As horrible an event as it was, it was also strangely beautiful as well. As we "pass through the valley of the shadow of death," we are reminded of God's goodness.  His love was all around us, as we witnessed strangers dropping everything and running to help.  Our church family embraced those hurting in our community, and everyone had time, had money, and had the motivation to do all we could to help those who needed us.

It is amazing to comprehend the amount of damage that the storms created in a matter of seconds.  In about 12 seconds, two-story houses were leveled, cars were swept away, trees snapped in half, and lives were forever changed.  The U.S. Government declared it a Level 1 Natural Disaster, on par with Katrina.  In fact, we now know that the storms of April 27 marked the fifth worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

But the storms could not take away the things we treasure most--friendships, family and faith in our Father.  In fact, the storm revealed these priceless gifts to be in full force; it brought out the best in us all.  Neighbors who hadn't spoken in months were suddenly hosting cookouts together in cul de sacs, sharing the food they had before the lost power could spoil it.  Complete strangers from other states took vacation days to come with their chainsaws and help cut trees and haul limbs.  Everyone opened their pockets and donated money to help us first survive, then clean up, and now rebuild.

By no means are we "back to normal," but we are back to reality.  The power came back on, workplaces reopened, the kids starting playing ball again, and life moved on.  We have all gotten caught back up again in the whirlwind of our daily life, and it is easy for us to forget the life-changing experiences we all shared just a few months ago.

I think it is important for us to stop, take a moment, and REMEMBER THE TORNADO.  A few weeks ago at Central, our wonderful preacher challenged all of us to remember what our lives were like then.  We flung ourselves into the work of our Lord, and we loved every minute of it.  We truly felt as though we were His instruments, working to help those around us and praising our God for the blessing of the gift of lives spared.  Let us all remember the tornado and the lessons it taught us.  In case you need a reminder, take a moment to re-watch the video attached on this blog.

Reflect on that time in our lives, and think about how it changed your family.  If you feel so compelled, reach out to a member of the Mission Athens team, and talk to us about joining our group.  We would love to have your help, and we believe that the work we continue to do for tornado victims and those in our community who have been broken by other catastrophes need us now more than ever.  Remember the tornado, and remind yourself of all the gifts you have to offer in service to our Lord.