The Day the Darkness Turned to Light

This fall Hurricane Florence ripped through the East Coast. It was a monster storm, bringing massive destruction and leaving many homeless. One area particularly hit hard, was Pender, North Carolina. Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit this tiny town. The destruction I witnessed, two months after the storm, was unlike anything I have ever seen. Though this powerful storm had the strength to rip away homes and uproot lives, it did not have the power to destroy the human spirit. It was a great reminder to me that love will always overcome evil. Everywhere my eyes looked, I saw condemned houses and heaps of rubble that represented what used to be a “normal” life for the people of this community. My initial instinct was to think all hope was lost. But when I looked deeper, and watched people who had lost everything, come together to help one another, it blew my mind. And when I watched complete strangers work hand-in-hand, it warmed my heart. We began our day in one of many houses that had been completely destroyed. The angry flood waters swept through the home, exceeding the first story and destroying everything in its path. All of the belongings were waterlogged, and black mold crept up the walls, leaving no area unscathed. Of course there was no electricity, making it impossible to see. Though it seemed like a small, insignificant job, the flashlight holder was a vital part of the team. The scene reminded me of John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Even though the flashlight was small, it gave off enough light to allow the volunteers to keep working. The dreary, saturated walls crumbled as the group went to work tearing down the memories and secrets this house once held. Little by little, we chipped away at the walls. Often we think of walls as protection, but these walls were almost taunting, threatening to snuff out any sense of hope left in these people who have suffered so much. But just when it seemed impossible, one team member busted completely through, causing part of the wall to crumble and fall. Light flooded the room and applause broke out among the team. In John 8:12, Jesus tells us, “...I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This storm may have robbed the people of their belongings, and Satan may have tried to swoop in to discourage them, but when you have the light of Christ in your life, NOTHING can steal your hope and your joy. Sometimes it takes a major shakeup to wake us up and remind us that no matter what happens, God is still in control. Not only is He the light, but He loves us so much that sometimes He lets us be the light for others. I am forever changed by the love and resilience I saw in the people of Pender. What would happen if we all decided to shine God’s light in this dark world? I challenge you to give it a try!

I Love You More Than a Lawn Mower

Today is Valentine's Day. I have to tell you, in the Bray house, we do not celebrate Valentine's Day. I have no problem with people who do, it's just not our thing. Now that I am no longer in the classroom, I honestly didn't give any thought to it being Valentine's Day today. At least not until Troy reminded me. He left home at the crack of dawn this morning, so there was very little conversation between the two of us. About an hour after he left, I got a text that said, "I love you more than a lawn mower!" It was the funniest thing to me, because Troy manages a John Deere store, and we talk about lawn mowers a lot! Also, when we were first married, we had a big 'ol fight about a lawn mower, and I held a grudge (which was SO wrong) for a REALLY long time!! He affectionately calls me a lawn mower killer (which probably doesn't need any explanation.) So the fact that he told he me loved me more than a lawn mower was very touching to me at 6:00 this morning. And I'm pretty sure when he retires from selling lawn mowers, he'll probably write greeting cards for Hallmark!! Here is my point. We have holidays to commemorate certain events. Valentine's Day is to show love. Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Easter is to celebrate our Savior's Resurrection. But what if we celebrated our Savior and His great love for us EVERY day? What if we celebrated love, and truly loved our neighbor EVERY day? I challenge you to make every day Valentine's Day. Tell those closest to you that you love them, but also show all those who cross your path the love of Christ. If we all shine God's light in this dark world, it really will make a difference. Let's show the world what it looks like to love them more than a lawn mower!