This week I’ve met a new friend in Kokomo, Indiana…you know, the town where the tornadoes struck and most news media failed to even report on national news because they were so busy promoting or trashing the two presidential nominees.
The following is what Amy Brock McNew posted on FaceBook the first day I met her:
“I’m tired.
Tired of watching my friends suffer and sift through their homes.
Tired of seeing my stepdaughter sick because it’s all finally hitting her.
Tired of seeing my son cringe and get that look on his face when there’s red on the radar moving toward us again and the thunder starts crashing.
Tired of dealing with an insurance company where the only man responding is an auto claims assessor who is going above and beyond, doing things outside of his job description to help us because no one else will.
I’m tired of the migraine that attacked Monday with a vengeance and hasn’t stopped splitting my skull, making it near impossible to focus.
I’m tired of throwing stuff away, and watching water cause more damage to our home my husband worked so hard for.
I’m tired of the smell of wet wood and insulation and yuck.
I’m tired of having to shell out more money from a dwindling reserve to get his truck fixed because a state employee backed into our driveway, and then having to wait God knows how long to get the money back from the state.
And I’m tired of feeling so tired and sick and guilty because we got off easy compared to others whose headaches make mine look like a day at the beach.
Today is one of those days where joy and beauty and peace seem nonexistent. Today is a day where my armor feels so heavy it’s dragging me to the ground. Today is a day I’m trying not to think about dropping my sword and saying to heck with it. Today is a day I’m clinging to hope with my broken fingernails and drawing blood.
We covet your prayers. Especially for my precious friends who find out today if their home is a total loss. Especially for those on the next street over where I’m at this moment watching a bulldozer push through what’s left of what used to be their house.
And while you’re doing that, I’ll dig in the mud and gunk for my joy and the beautiful hope I know is under there somewhere.”
Amy received many responses, all with promises to pray for the people of Kokomo. And many of you have, in the past, experienced the pain and heartache going on in Kokomo.
The following post came from Amy today and I chose to put it here, so you could see the enormity of the damage and the amazing fact there were no deaths. God is indeed our Helper in times of trouble!
“Here’s an aerial view of part of our neighborhood. At the end, the Starbucks my stepdaughter was inside during the storm.
Remember, no serious injuries and no deaths. One of many blessings we’re counting right now.
19,044 Views
Some incredible images of what’s left after one of at least 8 tornadoes ripped across central Indiana today…
This is a neighborhood in Kokomo, Indiana– watch to the end where the Starbucks was completely leveled.
Unreal that no one was hurt there…
Complete team coverage ahead on The News at 11:00 on RTV6 (WRTV – Indianapolis)…”
This next post came the day after the first one I read and if I had to put a title on this one I’d call it How To Survive When Disaster Strikes. Notice the difference in Amy’s tone.
“Been an interesting day. Interesting. Yeah, that’s the word for it.
Spent the better part of the day cleaning my fridge & freezer. When stuff thaws, melts, turns rancid, & refreezes, it creates a four kinds of special mess. I learned frozen bread dough melts, then turns into a part crispy, part spongy, gooey ball of not so delicious. Yum.
Spent 2 hours & more money than I care to think about in the grocery store replacing it all.
I then put in some more time cleaning debris out of our yard & the neighbors’. I entertained myself by cranking the tunes & playing the “Guess where these pieces came from” game I mentioned yesterday. It’s okay. By now I’m a professional at both the game & debris picking. Don’t try this at home, folks.
It was a good thing I cleaned up the things that could turn mushy, because then the rain came. Poured cats, dogs, & chinchilla babies. The tidbits I learned from that are: 1.) When you have a hole in your roof & a separated wall, it creates some amazing indoor water features. 2.) Blown insulation drips & splatters when wet, making your walls & now cockeyed door look like a toddler had a blast throwing mud pies. We won’t talk about the floor. 3.) It’s best to just throw towels over the whole mess & forget about it ’til the rain stops. If it does. We’ll see.
But there were high points.
One, I was able to go to the grocery & replace the food we lost, even though we ain’t seen hide nor hair of our insurance adjuster. Some either don’t have the money, or wouldn’t have a place to put the stuff if they did. We are blessed.
Two, we have cable & internet again. A simple thing that brings a piece of normal. Again, not all have it or have a place to use it. Plus, I made friends with the cable guy Tim, of course, & gave him a signed copy of Rebirth. He left us a note that said how much he enjoyed working in our home & spending time with us. We are blessed.
And finally, the Ball State women’s basketball team showed up & asked where we needed them. I was able to direct them to some folks who still have massive cleanup left, & some friends who have to move all their belongings out of their damaged home. We hugged them, thanked them, & cried a little. They blessed us. Again, we are so blessed.
One thing you have to do to get through all this without losing your marbles like Toodles is to find the joys & blessings. Though at times they’re hard to ferret out, they’re present. In everything. Some days you have to slog through mud, & melted dough, & unfrozen strawberry juice at the bottom of the freezer to find them, but I guarantee you’ll discover them if you search diligently enough.
Even if they’re hidden under the brown, goopy insulation you covered with a towel.”
Folks, it’s not if but when trials, trouble, and tribulation will strike each one of us. Today I ask you to think about how you’ll make it through to the other side when they arrive. There’s only one way—through the Lord Jesus Christ and His ability to give you an attitude of thankfulness if you’ll allow Him to replace the fear and despair with His hope!
And that takes time in prayer and in His Word. Time to prepare. Beforehand!
America stands at the threshold of God’s judgment because we’ve spurned Him. Perhaps we’re already there with tornadoes in Indiana, horrific floods and fires in Louisiana and across the western states. Riots against law and order ripping our country apart. Abortion. Lawlessness. Crime. And a famine of God’s Word in the schools, homes, and yes, even in churches.
Where is your hope—under the floods or burned by the fires or ripped away in the storm’s funnel?
The only lasting hope comes from God, through the life, death, and resurrection of His Only Son, Jesus Christ, through the power of His blood shed at Calvary. If you don’t yet have a relationship with the Only Hope, please ask Him to show you so you can turn to follow Jesus while there’s still time
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40 NKJV).
These FaceBook posts used with permission of Amy Brock McNew
MOVING THE ANCIENT BOUNDARIES 