We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they will help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:3-4

As our quiet Sunday was winding down, I’d just finished writing and Ken was enjoying his current read, our phones began a series of notifications that heavy storms would threaten the area within a short time. I began to collect the things I always take with us to the safe room. It’s supplied with a battery-powered radio and a wind-up version should the batteries die. There’s water, a few non-perishable snacks, a first aid kit, and the usual collection of disaster-related needs. I only need to collect devices and chargers, wallets, and prescription meds so we’re good to go on a moment’s notice.

Our sirens never sounded but our local TV stations were pretty sure danger lurked in the clouds and we tended to agree so we stationed ourselves in the safe room with both battery and electric lighting on. The wind was relentless but only for a short while and then our world went dark except for one battery-powered lantern. Clearly, the storm had settled but we had no idea how long we would be without power. It was 11:30 PM on Sunday, July 30.

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:24

We looked outside to assess the damage, but it was so dark we couldn’t see a thing. Our best choice seemed to be a good night’s sleep if that was even possible. At about four AM, I awoke to a bright light on my face, the light I’d left on before racing to the shelter. I said a grateful thank you to God for restoring the power and made the rounds of the house to be sure all was well. My head barely hit the pillow again when darkness reappeared. The respite may have been all of four minutes.

The next sound I heard was chain saws and generators. The top had been ripped from a large tree across the street and was blocking it. Two hard-working ladies were aggressively removing debris. I went for Ken and he immediately joined the clean-up crew. There was another crew attacking a tree down the street. All the yards were filled with leaf clusters and smaller limbs, but most were gone by the end of the day. That was when we were told it would be another twenty-four hours before power could be restored, which prompted a trip to the library to email last week’s devotion. It’s tough without WiFi these days.

Our brick home had stayed reasonably cool but by late afternoon, we clearly needed to open windows, most of which did not have their screens installed. Once collected and brushed clean, they were placed in the windows and we had a breeze flowing through the house, a warm breeze but at least the air was stirring. It was also time to remove some of the perishable items from our frig. Ken opened one of the five cartons of ice cream he’d just bought on sale. The mint chocolate chip was just the right consistency for milkshakes, so we poured our liquid treat into glasses and enjoyed cool milkshakes on the deck. We then delivered the remaining ice cream containers to neighbors for their enjoyment. One of those neighbors offered us space in his freezer where he had packed eighty pounds of ice hoping to create a giant insulating ice pack. Of course, we accepted the offer and quickly transferred everything that was hard frozen to his freezer.

We ate most of the fresh produce left in the frig and spent the evening on the deck enjoying the rise of a sub-super moon. We fell asleep to the hum of cicadas, every window in the house open.  

The following day, I woke to kids laughing outdoors. I walked to the window to see what changes may have occurred overnight. It was then that my nose was assaulted by the leftover scent of a wandering skunk. Next, there was a slight sprinkling sound on the roof, and I found myself once again on the deck, listening to the sounds of falling rain and rolling thunder. The rain-cooled air was a balm to my skin. After grabbing some fruits and nuts for breakfast, I took the opportunity to clean the interior of our frig while it was basically empty and the air was cool.

Our neighborhood is a swath of homes about two blocks wide and six or so blocks long that is supplied by one power source. The rest of our town relies on another source. There were a few spotty outages in the larger area of town, but most homes and businesses had power. The street that is back-to-back with us had power except for a few hours in the beginning. It felt as if we were on our own little island, the world was whizzing past and all was normal for many of our neighbors.

At 10:30 on Tuesday morning, the power came on, not tentatively, but strong and sooner than expected. We gave it ten minutes to be sure and then began turning on ceiling fans, then the AC. And we said a very large THANK YOU!

A big blessing during our time without power was that our water towers remained operational. When wells go down, life becomes much more complicated. But we could wash and flush, and that means so much when nothing else we are accustomed to using on a daily basis will work. We also learned that our neighborhood will come together and help one another when a need arises. Of course, our milkshakes were an unexpected treat. All of our frozen meats survived, and we continue to enjoy them. In the end, we had little material loss.

Most importantly, we felt the presence of God surrounding us every moment. He had a plan and it worked perfectly. I’m not saying that I want to be without electricity often but the comfort of knowing He is there makes it much more bearable. We have a close friend who always views this kind of adversity as a challenge, a big adventure. We tease her about being an overgrown kid, but if we could all be a little more childlike in our approach to adversity, it surely would remove a lot of stress from our lives. And if we remember that each of us is a child of God, we can find the hope that exists only under his protective wings. That gives me another opportunity to insert one of my favorites…

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psam 91:1 NLT