Jesus in the storms

By Sarah Hodge

It's been a week and a half since I posted a blog because this has been a very busy time. The combination of strong straight-line winds and an EF2 tornado touching down on the west side of Geneva County, and Opp, on April 19 was disastrous for many residents and businesses. This left the homeowners, business owners, emergency workers, and city officials finding themselves in a stressful situation. My Red Cross Emergency app and NOAA weather radio went crazy, alerting us that we had a tornado in our area. After getting out of bed, my husband and I could only pray as we watched the tornado pass in front of our home. I was reminded of Luke 8:23-25. "And as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” We began rebuking the tornado and put our faith in Jesus. It was almost immediately afterward the app informed us that a tornado was in the area of my daughter's home in Chancellor. She had her family in the hall under mattresses as they listened to the tornado pass over. The familiar sound as a train passing by. Again, we begin rebuking the tornado from a distance. All we had going for us was faith in Jesus. Monday morning, my neighborhood looked like a war zone. This was the scene all the way to Opp. In Opp, many residents were without power for a week. A total of 116 homes received minor damage, 50 homes had major damage, and six homes were destroyed in Covington County alone. I have gotten reports of damage around Geneva County, as well. The damage in Geneva County is unknown, as the new EMA Director is not reporting the numbers. But I can say God is good! He spared my family. He also spared many more lives around the Wiregrass. Prayers were heard and I just want to say how grateful I am for the angels he sends to watch over us, when we ask, and sometimes even when we do not ask. Psalm 91:11 ”For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.“