As the wind begins to pick up here in the hours before hurricane Milton makes landfall, I thought I should put out a quick update to let y’all know how you can be praying for us. By most accounts, this may be the storm of the century, and we are anticipating significant human suffering along the coastal areas very close to where we live. Many are asking if we have (or should have) evacuated, and the answer is no, we have not.
In a hurricane, they say, “Run from the water. Hide from the wind.” The most dangerous part of a hurricane is the storm surge, where the wind blows massive amounts of ocean water up onto the shore, inundating coastal neighborhoods with fast-moving, filthy water. With Lakeland being situated further inland, storm surge is not a concern for us. While areas around us will likely see flooding from the rainfall, our house is in an elevated area, and should be well above any floodwaters. The wind is scary. Lakeland may see wind speeds in excess of 100mph! Our house has newer windows that are rated to withstand debris up to a certain speed, so we are trusting they will hold (though some of our neighbors still have the old, single-pane windows!). We did have two huge water oaks in our front yard that were obviously unhealthy, and had them cut down earlier this summer. This is the first time I’ve been glad to have them gone! We have our generator fueled up and ready to go, and have battened down all the hatches. The only thing left to do is pray and trust in God of whom it was said, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Many are asking how they can help and pray. We know that the needs around us will be very great, and we are praying that we will be in a position to meet them. The opportunities for real gospel ministry will be abundant, and we want to be ready to do Kingdom work. We are already in contact with Charis Disaster Response, and they will be coordinating resources and teams for those who are willing and able to help. Please reach out to Todd Derry at DisasterResponse@charisfellowship.com to be kept informed about ways you or your church can be involved. In the wake of this kind of disaster, it is helpful to have resources coming in from outside the affected area, as supplies are likely to be scarce.
I know that after the storm, we will be very busy cleaning up and helping our neighbors, but I will commit to putting out another quick update to let you all know how we fared. God is good and He is faithful! His terrible power is on display in moments like these, and we are reminded of His coming judgment and the need for all men to repent of their sin and follow Him. Pray for us as we proclaim God’s truth in word and deed!