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They were completely unprepared for anything of this nature. The mountainous hillside areas of the Smokey Mountains have never, in their written history, been flooded due to a hurricane. Hurricane Helene struck so far north in Florida’s panhandle as a category 4 and the effects had major impacts in the states that are more used to nature’s wrath: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and even the Carolinas – but Tennessee? Northeastern TN and NC mountain areas have been absolutely devastated, bridges washed away, communications cut off, food water and gas simply unavailable. Supplies have had to be airlifted into communities. It’s shocking that with all of our technological advantages, the power of God stretches out in unimaginable ways. They were simply unprepared.
Last month my cousin Don Evans started a Christian non-profit, aimed at helping people build ramps for their homes and do household repairs. Today, he and his wife are out helping to pass out bottled water to families because not only are stores not in abundance there, but their roads and bridges are washed away. I read a news article today that in Asheville, NC (50 miles away) where once there was a road, there is now a “lake of ashphalt” because of sinkholes created under the roads and what was firm is now mush. One farmer alone lost 1500+ bales of hay for his cattle, thankfully all of their animals and family members are ok. In the coming weeks they will be helping people repair what has been broken or lost. They had no idea that anything like this could happen. They were simply unprepared for enough water that could “fill 60 MILLION Olympic-sized swimming pools” – 40 trillion gallons of water. This Sunday Mears UMC will be taking up a special collection to help the community of the Nolichucky River TN Community.
As tragic as all of this is, it is just the “birth-pangs” as Christ called it. Our society is mostly unprepared for the day when Christ comes again. People rely on what they think is solid: money (banks & cash); the government; family and friends; jobs; homes; and fairly predictable weather of rain in the summer and snow in the winter with the occasional severe storm. Even our own children and grandchildren are woefully unprepared for the coming of Christ.
Friends, if you have a home emergency kit, place a bible in it alongside your flashlights and batteries. If your family and friends do not know Jesus, talk to them now so that you never have to say, “I should have said this, I should have told them that, I should have had them baptized”. Christ is coming in victory because he said that he would. Will you be prepared?
Pastor Bev Williams
Mears & Shelby UMC
Cell Phone 269-438-1552
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