Lessons Learned From a Tornado

A tornado can change everything in a split second. I was never afraid of tornadoes, even as a child. Don't get me wrong, I never wanted to see one up close, but the thought of a tornado didn't bring fear. That all changed in 2011 when an F5 tornado hit Joplin, MO. The images on tv still haunt me. The foundations swept clean that were once homes. The realization that the safest place in your house may not be safe at all. Understanding that you may not be able to protect your family. I have been scared of tornadoes since that time

We were under a tornado watch last Sunday. I was concerned, but hopeful that it wouldn't turn into anything. By God's grace it didn't. I was very thankful when I put my babies to bed that night that all was safe. I went to sleep peacefully.

Then I woke up to the news reports. I didn't know that my neighbors in central Arkansas had been hit by a terrible tornado. The images started rolling in again. Homes, gone. People, dead. Disaster, everywhere.

And then stories. Stories of some people's survivals and other people's tragic losses. I get sucked in. I start reading them as people repost them on Facebook. My heart aches for these people. To not only lose every, single possession you have, but to lose a child or a spouse on top of it.

 Unimaginable losses.

One story stuck out to me more than the others though. It was about a mom and a dad, who even though they were broken and hospitalized, had somehow survived the storm. But even though they had survived, they lost their entire home, and their two sons.

Unimaginable.

The story was written by the mom's friend who had gone to visit her in the hospital. Why this story stood out to me more than the others was what the woman in the hospital bed, now childless had to say.

"She said her son has always talked about heaven. She said He looked at her Sunday afternoon, before the storm, and told her he was ready to go to heaven. "Will you miss me?" he asked her. "Well yes," she said, "but let's not talk like that now." "How long will you miss me?" he persisted. And she just smiled and said, "I guess until I see you again."" *
Her two boys knew Jesus. They had led a friend to Christ just a few weeks earlier. They had the faith of a child.

I was touched by this story. Not just because of the faith the mom has shown in the midst of loss, but because my faith is challenged by the testimony of the children.

First, these children were witnessing. How often do I pass up an opportunity to share my faith? How often do I only choose Christian friends, and thus have very little opportunity to share my faith.
Second, there was no fear in death. This boy knew beyond a shadow of a doubt where he was going, and Who he was going to be there with.

Here is where conviction sets deep in my heart. I. Doubt. God. More than I care to admit. I'm not talking about doubting what God can do, I'm talking about doubting His very existence! It looks very shameful on paper, and it is. But I do.

Sometimes I let the knowledge in the world get in my head and I wonder if there is even a God. If there even can be a God. (I know, shock, right?)

Then I read the story of these two boys that were too young to die, yet faithful to trust in their Savior. They knew, not only heaven, but God is very real. And I know that today, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they are in Heaven with Jesus. Seeing Him with their eyes for the first time.

You see, I didn't need to see the movie to know that "heaven is for real". I just needed to read a story about two boys that went there last Sunday.

Someone commented that God has a purpose for each one of us to accomplish here on earth before He takes us home. He said that these boys were able to accomplish theirs in a short period of time when it takes others 100 years. I thought that was a good point. He's right. We're all here for a reason. And we need to be about doing His business.

If I'm wasting time doubting God, I'm not fulfilling my purpose.

God used the story of these boys to bring renewed faith into this ole heart. Their lives (and deaths) are still at work for  their Savior. I am challenged by two children to live a life of faith and action for Christ.

I know my God is real, and I cry out at the same time with the father in Mark 9:24 - "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!

* Excerpt was taken from this blog post; you can read the story in it's entirety here - http://thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-cheerleader.html?m=1