Hitting My Reset Button - TORNADO DISASTER RELIEF 2012

This weekend changed my life.  This weekend I saw first hand how precious our lives are; how quickly they can be destroyed.  In the blink of an eye everything can change.  This weekend has caused me to press the reset button on my life.  To see how petty things are and how it's true not to sweat the small stuff.  It really doesn't matter.  There are so many more important things in life.  It's caused me to re-evaluate how I am living my life; to rearrange my priorities.  A total reset of my life and how I am living it.

This past Saturday I spent the day in Henryville, Indiana.  Henryville was hit by a massive tornado on Friday March 2, 2012.  Their city was destroyed. Some lives were lost and others were forever changed. A group from my church went up to help relief efforts.  D. L. Moody said it best when he said:

‎"The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ." 

(Thanks Pastor Andy for the quote)

I had been following the relief efforts on the news.  I had seen picture after picture of the damage that was done in their town.  But none of that prepared me for seeing it for myself.  Walking down their streets seeing destruction and devastation everywhere I turned.  

To see people trying to find even a small token of their lives before the tornado.  To see homes reduced to piles of rubble.   Some people loading what little possessions they had left onto trailers or u-hauls.  Years of one's life reduced to a pile of rubble was all that many had left.  To stand and watch as people stood starring at was once their home - trying to fathom where to even begin to start working to clear things away. It had to be a totally overwhelming feeling.  Many were in shock.  Many were in tears. I was both and I am not even from this town.  You can't stop the tears as you walk down the streets of Henryville.

I thought about the school aged kids.  Especially the seniors.  Who before March 2, 2012 were busy going through the day to day activities of enjoying their senior year and all the fun and memories that come along with that - your last year of school!  Proms, senior pranks, final memories in your high school and at last graduation.  Now all that remains is a small resemblance of what once stood.....

I was humbled by the show of support from those all over our nation.  Food, clothing and supplies were being brought in my the truck full.  There were disaster relief stations set up all over the town in churches, various buildings and even on the sides of the road.  Food trucks were set up giving townspeople and volunteers free food. It was unbelievable to see all of the help and to know I was a small part of it.

Some of our crew from church headed out to help cut down trees and remove debris....

I helped out at First Baptist Church Henryville.  We were getting so many donations!  The donations you see in the pictures were only a small amount of what was coming in by the minute! It was wonderful to see how many people are reaching out to help and in so many different ways!

Even amongst disaster there were signs of hope.  The American Spirit teamed with the LOVE AND FAITH in JESUS CHRIST is hard to destroy....even when all surrounding it is left broken and destroyed.

Even some local children were finding it easy to just play. An inspiring sign of what is to come.  Life DOES go on.  People CAN more forward after such a tragedy.

I can't tell you enough or even find the right words that can justly explain how being in Henryville, IN has changed my life.  I will NEVER forget all that I saw there and I have plans to return and lend more help to this wonderful town. I KNOW God will guide many others to do the same.  To keep helping until this town is rebuilt and these people can put this horrible incident behind them and begin again.  GOD is there with them.  It shows on their faces and in their actions.  HIS love and strength RADIATES from their hearts.  I thank them for allowing me in and allowing me to help.  To see first hand how a tornado changed their lives forever. It's nothing I will ever forget.  It forced me to take a hard look at my own life and I clearly and without a doubt set my reset button the day I entered Henryville, IN.  

My friends, I urge you to help in any way you can.  I urge you to look at your life and where you have your priorities.  We all need to push our reset button every now and then.  There is no better time than NOW!  Luckily we serve a LOVING, WONDERFUL and FORGIVING GOD!  He allows us to PUSH the reset button.  HE Loves us when we find it hard to love ourselves.  We are His children and He loves us and will lead us to an eternity in his loving arms if only we open our hearts, souls and minds to Him.  Why not push your reset button today and let Him in.  No better time! GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIENDS!