If you have not been changed in some positive way of thinking by the crazy and remarkable events of this storm, you need to look in the mirror and pray that God can soften your heart. Let me tell you my story on how Jesus made me a new person through this experience. On February 14th 2021 I had just completed the virtual Synergy Outreach event Love Never Fails. This would be the evening before the ice storm that would soon change everyone’s' perspective on Thankfulness and the importance of being prepared. The calm before the storm is often stated before chaos happens and sometimes is exaggerated but this time, there was no exaggeration on this statement. As the night began to come to a close, we as a family were excited to know that we all had the next day off because of Presidents Day. Little did we know that that day off would be one that will test our survivor skills for the next week plus. Monday had arrived and had been an eventful day as we all were enjoying the day off sledding on the hill side behind our home because of the snowfall left the night before. As we went inside to get cleaned up and decide on what we were going to do next and what movie to watch the electric flickered on and off and then ultimately stayed off. Now this had happened many times before but it had always come back on within a couple hours or so later but this time it was different, A LOT Different! The biggest issue with the power going out during a winter storm was the obvious, warmth. The good thing is that we were able to stay warm throughout the night with the fireplace while burning wood but as the night continued to get colder and ice began to come down from the sky, the amount of wood to burn began to dwindle. What if the wood ran out? I kept asking myself this question over and over in my head. The wood eventually did run out and the only solution to help us now would be a generator. Sounds easy enough right? Well, it was like finding a needle in a hay stack and everywhere was sold out on generators and kerosene heaters within a 50–100-mile radius, I began to pray that God would provide heat for our family. That night our neighbor supplied more firewood to get us through the night and the next day my father-in-law delivered a generator he found by randomly going into the hardware store before heading up the road to look for one. Some would say this was luck, but I say it was an answered prayer. God allows miracles around us when we put our trust in him and nothing is too big for him to deliver a small miracle if we just ask. So, the generator is in place and working and some would think that we were in the clear now, wait there is more. The furnace stopped working on Saturday morning but again our neighbor was an answer to prayer in providing wood for the night to heat our home and the next morning the furnace was repaired because of a faulty wire. (another answered prayer) On top of everything that happened, my daughter and I had strep and I had a case of pneumonia on top of it but God was still and is always going to provide and be faithful if we continue to praise him and lean on him always, not just times of need. In conclusion to this life lesson that I learned. Being prepared is very important! Even though we know what is coming before it arrives, do we actually prepare knowing what is going to happen in reality? Jesus clearly tells us in scripture (Revelation 22:12) that he is coming again and that only his father knows (Luke 12:40) when that time is and that we need to be ready, yet are we actually prepared for his return? Jesus wants us to continue to focus on the big picture and that is that this earth is our temporary home and it will be destroyed one day and the only thing that matters is who our heart belongs to and to continue to tell others about his love and sacrifice on the cross but ultimately his promise of his return for his own. We all have been through many storms in life and will most likely go through more, but no storm is greater than Jesus who can calm those storms and help you become a new person by following him. The greatest thing about him is that unlike the generators and the lack of heaters available, He is always available and easily attainable and knowing that is the greatest feeling in the world and will change you completely.
