Hurricane season in Florida begins on June 1st, usually peaking in activity in August and September, each year.
With oncoming Tropical Storm Isaias headed toward Florida, I thought I would revive part of a post I put out when Hurricane Irma came through here in September 2017.
Even though this is a style blog, I make no apologies for sharing my faith. God is the main part of my life. Without Him, I would be in serious trouble! He has saved me in many more ways than one! He continues to save me from calamity on a regular basis.
It was called
“the worst hurricane in recorded history.”
Hot House, Cold Showers
Living through a hurricane
September 2017
As Hurricane Irma approached Florida earlier this month of September, 2017, it was classified as a colossal Category 5 monster cyclone, raking across the Caribbean and the Florida keys with destruction and, sadly, death.
But, when it continued its path northward and passed just a few miles west of us in Apopka, it had diminished to a Cat. 1.
Some areas within a ten-mile radius of us
received much loss of huge trees: some uprooted from the ground, some broken; some twisted off from the powerful rotating winds of tornadoes, born within the storm. Some fell on cars and houses, causing much destruction.
Just a block away from us, trees were knocked down.
But, for us, only a few small branches were blown down and our yard was littered with thousands of leafy twigs from the buffeting and churning of treetops.
I heard reports that our area got 55 to 75 mile-per-hour winds.
For us, the aftermath was worse than the actual event:
No power for seven days!
- No a/c. No fans.
- No COMPUTER!!
- No toast, no milk on my cereal. Food going bad in the fridge.
- Couldn’t cook…no, wait: is that a negative or a positive? Lol. I finally had to throw out all our refrigerated food…but, we had an ice cream feast the first night!!
- Dying cell phones with no way to charge them.
- Only candle light at night, which could’ve been romantic ambiance if it weren’t so hot!
- Couldn’t watch movies…Just sittin’ on the couch in the dark, fanning ourselves.
- Couldn’t do laundry. No hot showers. Too hot to sleep.
- Continuous monotonous droning of the neighbor’s generator…
But, wait a minute…
these are inconveniences, not hardships.
Hardship is this: suffering and distress among the people living in the Caribbean, those in the Keys, those still going through hell in Texas from Hurricane Harvey, those trying to survive the earthquakes in Mexico—with the heartbreak of death and destruction all around them.
What we went through is NOTHING compared to these others!
My husband Jerry and I belong to Jesus Christ.
Before the storm hit, we, along with millions, were praying that it would veer to the east and go out into the Atlantic. When it didn’t, I prayed it would take the least-damaging route, affecting the least number of people, with lessening conditions.
For us and our house, we prayed for God’s hand to cover us, that His angels would hold in place our house, trees, and fence. We anointed our four walls with oil, a biblical practice—as an invitation to the Holy Spirit of God, committing our house to Him and asking for protection.
We were spared.
I have no explanation as to why people and property experienced such devastation.
I have no answers.
But, as an eye witness testifies in a court of law as to what he/she saw and experienced personally, I can only attest to the fact that we asked God for protection and He granted it to us. We are truly, truly grateful!!
Disclaimer:
I, in no way, am claiming a “holier than thou” position. God loves us all equally.
All I know is that God is my Father, Jesus is my Savior and Brother, and the Holy Spirit is my Comforter and Teacher.
God promises in His Word to protect those who “hide under the shadow of His wings.”
God works in different ways in each person’s life. MANY times—MOST of the time—I don’t understand His ways, but that’s where trusting comes in. I’d rather trust a God I don’t understand, than live and die without Him.
Incredible post about God’s faithfulness! I grew up in Houston and we experienced hurricanes a lot so I can certainly relate to the fear and the damage that they can produce.
I went down for a family visit one year and happened to get there right when hurricane Ike was coming through. So there we were with no power but we had guitars and a piano and we created the Hurricane Ike band!
God bless you!
Hey Diane. Thanks for commenting!
The Hurricane Ike band! I love it!! lol
Yeh, now T.S. Isaias is now Hurricane Isaias! “Adventures” ahead!
It looks like it’s coming right up the east coast of Florida. God help those on the coast! Jesus said to “speak to the mountain to be removed”…so…In Jesus’ name, we speak to the storm to move farther east, out into the ocean!
Thank you for sharing this amazing testimony, Cindy, and or alerting me to it via email. It’s a sad fact of life that if you write about God, subscribers will abandon you, but on the other hand, who needs people like that? Christians will NOT abandon you, and the Lord will provide new subscribers if He thinks you need them. If He doesn’t think you need them, you don’t need them, so why worry?! Lol!
I discovered your blog via a mutual blogging friend, on the subject of fashion. I had no idea then that you were a Christian. What a blessing it was to find that you were!
Praise God that He spared you through that horrific ordeal. Here in the UK we have such a gentle climate and a gentle landscape, and can only imagine what it must be like anticipating a hurricane season annually. Back in about 1987 I think it was, we had OUR hurricane (just the one) and lost a lot of trees, and some lives too. The weather forecaster got it spectacularly wrong that time – a couple of days earlier he said it might be “a bit windy.” Lol!!
God does not always spare us from suffering or ordeals of this nature, but if we do have to go through it, He DOES provide the strength to do so. I know this through my experience of cancer 5 years ago. The response is not “Why me?” but “Why not me?” If we let Him, God can use really bad circumstances and turn them into miracles. The fact that we suffer is not the issue. The issue is how we deal with the suffering. So many blessings have come from my cancer that it would take me all night to describe them all. Some problems remain and are ongoing, but praise God I am cancer free and anticipate remaining so. I can deal with whatever my body decides it’s going to do or not do!! I always remember the words of Reverend Mother in the film “The Sound of Music” – “When God closes a door, He is sure to open a window.” This has always been my experience. Also, Romans 8:28 has proved true oh so many times in my life!
God bless you, and may he bring you many more subscribers, and worthy ones.
Shoshi xxx
Thank you Shoshi—“platypus gal.” Lol. 🙂
Yes, I know many times God brings us THROUGH instead of sparing us. But, He is always faithful! Yet, I am SO GRATEFUL that He spared us in that storm! Now, here comes another—Hurricane Isaias, but not as powerful, so far, as Hurricane Irma, three years ago. But, I know we’ll be okay. I have peace.
Yes, every time I mention God, people flee! Lol. I lost another three subscribers with this post, for a total of 27, so far, of my meager 160-something subscribers. Lol. But, I’ve come around to not caring if people leave. God was the One who “elbowed” me to start this blog…This is His baby. Today, my friend told me, “You’re not trying to please them, anyway!” That’s right! This is MY blog, MY voice! I write what I want to write!! Why should I censor myself so as not to “offend” anyone who has something against God?
I put in a new menu item in my primary menu at the top of each page: My Life Experiences. That’s where I categorized this post, and, as I am lead, I will write more lifestyle-type posts.
It’s so good to hear from you again! I count you among my true friends around the globe! It’s wonderful to connect with other real believers in far-flung places. We’ll have a wonderful time fellowshipping together in Glory!!
Blessings. Love you! Cindy xxx
P.S. Yes, I often remember that movie line, too. God guides by closing and opening doors/windows. He often closes something to lead us to something better! God is the All-Wise One! He sees the end from the beginning—and we can’t see what’s going to happen. That’s where trust comes in. 🙂