Storm Damage

Watching a man from London being interviewed on the TV news this lunchtime standing in front of his broken house and crushed car, I was made aware how long it can take to recover from storm damage. Of course, the effects of storms Dudley and Eunice in the UK recently will be cleared away, and will be done so much more quickly than parts of the world affected by flooding and landslides where there are no sophisticated means of repair. Never-the-less, the emotional and psychological pain of storm damage may take a lot longer than the physical effects, to make good.

Part of the pain is the shock of the unwanted, unsolicited violation of your property and potential safety. A sudden, unexpected intrusion into a world that seemed so normal and predictable, blown your way by some faceless blast, even if it is given a fancy name by the Met Office. However sophisticated our Western lifestyle might have become, it only takes a big storm to make us aware of our fragility and the potential for everything to change overnight, literally.

Life's storms are very real. In a moment, what was chugging along nicely can be turned on its head. Where once were security and familiar circumstances there can come uncertainty and chaos, bringing with them fear and apprehension on a grand scale. For me it was the sudden onslaught of devastating chronic ill health. Along with it came a flood of problems like - how will we pay our rent? Who will provide food for our family? Will I even survive?

Thank God that we don't have to face life's storms alone. God says 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.' (Isaiah 43:2). The storms of life can be endured and overcome when we know the active, manifest presence of Almighty God with us. That's why I published my book 'Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts'. If you are going through devastating storms right now, or you know someone who is, get a copy of this book for yourself or to give to them. Click here to order one in paperback or Kindle format. Or you can email me to obtain a signed copy at throughthestorms750@gmail.com.

It's likely that many more would have died, and much greater damage would have been done, if the Met Office in the UK had not warned in advance about these storms, and the authorities put in place strategies to cope. Don't wait till the waters rise or the floods come. Remember the motto of the Scouts movement; 'Be Prepared!'