Sunday afternoon. We had kissed my husband goodbye after church as he headed off on a trip. Feeling in need of a lift, I told the kids we’d swing by the store for pizza and ice cream, and watch a movie that night.
Our van loaded down with frozen groceries, we headed up piney Highway 21, the road that made me fall in love with our area when we were looking to move from the city. At a stop light, we noticed a large column of smoke.
“Mama, is that near our house?”
“Oh no, no, that is west of us. We live that way,” and I pointed ahead to the right.
We drove on and the road began to curve to the left. How could I have forgotten this part of the road?
We continued to curve, until straight ahead of us, right between the pines towering on left and right, a ferocious column of smoke billowed high in the air. The road was taking us straight toward the fire.
Within a few minutes, we were passing the fire just off the highway to our left. Not much longer and my phone was ringing, “Did you hear about the fire? Dee and Tim just barely got out, they can’t find their way out of the neighborhood. Patti, you need to pack some things right now.”
By the time the children and I left our house, the highway had been closed at our road and there were at least three more fires that had started. You may have heard the outcome of all those fires. Started by sparks and fueled with drought-weary trees and underbrush, those fires, and more, merged to become the tragically large Bastrop Complex wildfire that eventually took two lives, destroyed 1554 homes and scarred 34,000 acres east of Austin, Texas.
My husband turned around as soon as he heard about the fire. Our family was evacuated for four days. There was a time there I was quite sure we would not have a home when we returned. The fire came a mile and a half from our homestead.
I spent day and night on the phone, on the computer, searching for news, searching for people. You don’t know how a crisis will affect you, how you will respond.
For some this would have been a time when routine kept normalcy, but for me, there was no routine. Physically uprooted, with no idea what would come next, with spotty sleep and my phone ringing constantly, I found myself unable to even gauge the time of day.
My early morning quiet time routine was completely disrupted. What might have been a harbor in the storm was not there and I seemed unable to make it so.
But God in His mercy knows us each intimately. And though I would have prescribed a regular, uninterrupted quiet time as just the thing to soothe, He understood His daughter and provided in other ways.
In those difficult days, a steady of whisper of His Word wound through my thoughts. Scriptures that I had memorized came unbidden…
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you’…” Jeremiah 29:11
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…” Psalm 23:4
“… all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16
And on the second afternoon, when so many homes were lost, and the maps showed fire right over our homestead, I stood miles away and watched the massive roiling firecloud. I was overcome with awe by the power I was witnessing. “You are holy, holy,” sprung loud from my lips as I stood on a knoll in the trees and sung praises to our Creator.
Snatches of prayer conversation with my heavenly Father wove through the days, and prayers with dear ones flooded me with His peace.
There really is no way to fully prepare for a crisis. You can think you are ready, but there is no way to know how you will respond emotionally.
But a relationship with the Lord, anchored by habits that feed the growth of that relationship, offers shelter from the storm.
For me, orderly bible study, journaling and time-bound prayer were not the safe harbor in these days, though I would have thought they would be. Yet the fruits of scripture memorization, both in word and song, as well as the habit of conversational prayer throughout my day, met my needs in a stormy time. He knew that they would.
And how lovely indeed to be able to snuggle in my spot on the couch and have my quiet time routine, when we returned to our spared homestead!
None of us knows exactly how we will respond when crisis hits. But the habits we develop in our daily lives as children of the King lay a framework on the foundation of our relationship with Him. He will meet all your needs, all the time.
photo by Patti Brown
Oh, Patti! I’m so glad you and your family are ok. I had no idea it came so close to your home!
I love how your investment in the Word was returned to you just when you needed it.
He is so gracious to give us just what we need when we need it!
When times like this come, I look at these tragedies and wonder how I would handle it, if God calls me to walk through it.
“But a relationship with the Lord, anchored by habits that feed the growth of that relationship, offers shelter from the storm.”
A friend of mine just lost her little boy yesterday, through an accident.
The reality that this could happen to me is terrifying. And, what will I do? Will I cling to Him when crisis comes? Would I be able to say it is well with my soul, when my house is destroyed or I lose a child. I can’t imagine walking through it.
I do not know what is ahead for me, but God does and He is in control. Only He can bring peace, comfort, strength needed to walk through the fire.
Thank you, Patti.
Amen, Katie. All our hope is in Him.
This is just beautiful Patti! I am so glad that your family is safe and that your homestead was spared.
Thank you Marcee! So are we!
Patti,
Thank you for the reminder that even when storms come our way, we have to rely on our preparation in His Word to sustain us. I am such a routine person… I hate when my qt routine is disrupted. I feel so lost. It is so true though that He speaks to us still. I am grateful that your family is safe. Thank you for sharing.
Sallie, I really love my quiet time too, but I seem to be in a season of having to be flexible. It is definitely a challenge!
Glad you, your family and your home are safe. Praying for the families who have lost a loved one or their home.
Thank you for the prayers, Joyce.
What beautiful words out of such tragedy. I am glad that your family was spared, and that you found comfort in Him.
Thank you Heather. His arms are my haven.
“But a relationship with the Lord, anchored by habits that feed the growth of that relationship, offers shelter from the storm.” I love that. Blessings, sweet friend.
Blessings to YOU lovely Lara!
Wow you’ve been through a lot! I’m glad your home and family are all safe. I was encouraged by what you said about scripture memory and conversational prayer being your help during that time. I have found the same recently as I have got more into the habit of praying all through the day. At difficult times it is great to have that along with scripture in my head when it is so difficult to have time for or to concentrate on structured Bible reading.
I agree Rhoda. I have been so blessed by scripture memorization. Like a portable (albeit very small) bible in my head. :-)
This is so encouraging, Patti. It’s always good to be reminded how the Lord ministers to his people in or out of their routine. He really blessed your faithfulness in times past by his faithfulness in the moment of crisis.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sure it’s one that you and your family and friends will never forget.
So grateful there is not a list of rules that I have to follow to receive His grace!
I’ll add my thanksgiving that your home and family are safe! Spiritually speaking, your experience with the fire matches what happened to me when my Mom died suddenly. I couldn’t put together a coherent prayer or quiet time for days, but conversational prayers, Scriptures and snippets of hymns came to mind constantly and carried me through.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!
Tammie, it is encouraging to me that you experienced the same thing. He is faithful!
This post really spoke to me this morning. We are going through a very difficult time in our lives right now, my family and I, and your words ring so true. What’s helped so much is all the scripture I’ve memorized as well as good Christian songs I’ve learned along the way. Time hasn’t always allowed me to sit down every morning (or even during the day anytime) and read my Bible, but I have been quoting every verse I can remember to get me through the busyness and roughness of each “hour.” Thank you so much for this post.
Sara, I just prayed for you. I am rejoicing that you are choosing to turn to Him in the midst of difficulty!