Joplin

So I am sitting here watching Extreme Home Makeover which is rebuilding 7 homes in Joplin, MO. There are so many feelings that have come through watching this for the past couple of hours. It brings back all of the feelings that we experienced when the tornado happened {living 100 miles away and having lived in Joplin for 2 years in college}.

When it happened we were at small groups and completely oblivious to what was going on. My friend got a text from her mom {who lived in Joplin} simply saying not to worry because they were okay. Which of course completely freaked us out and sent me into a panic trying to figure out if my sister and brother-in-law were also okay. We are so thankful that they lived on the opposite side of town and suffered no physical effects from the tornado.

So many people that we knew lost everything. Some close family friends lost their entire house and everything in it. They have a daughter Brynlee's age. Luckily, they made the decision to go to a neighbors house to stay in their basement. All I could think about was the inability to provide for your baby. They literally had to rely on someone else for everything for quite some time. I can't even imagine being there, seeing the destruction immediately following the tornado and even being an active part of the clean-up.

I have also sat here reading my sister's blog posts that she wrote shortly after the tornado. She had graduated from college the previous day and wrote a post about graduation. Since she was done with school their lives would be changing. They were looking for jobs, planning to move and waiting on the next step in their lives. They really had no idea where God would be leading them next but didn't want to miss out on the opportunities they would have to serve while remaining in Joplin.

She says: 
"Until then we will love where we are and love the people here. We have a lesser role in the youth group now... but we have new opportunity to spend time with couples our age and I have a new opportunity for a Bible study. We will definitely be taking advantage of where we are and the great church that surrounds us. We know God is keeping us here right now for a reason, so we will use that."

She had no idea of the events that would occur later on that same day but she knew that wherever you are and in whatever circumstance, God is still there. And when you are living out God's will in your life you can find joy, peace and comfort through any trial.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT) 

As hard as it is to watch and relive the devastation, it is even better to watch Joplin rebuild and restore hope to each resident of Joplin, MO.