Ever find yourself wondering what it looks like in the wake of a storm, weeks or months later? Wondering who is suffering without knowing where to turn or even what redemption has already begun to bring light to the darkness of devastation,
like beauty from the ashes.
like beauty from the ashes.
One such storm was Typhoon Haiyan, after which I have found myself wondering what daily life was like now for it’s survivors.
Except for most of the time,
when it’s been far from my mind,
seeing as how these suffering people are on the other side of the world and all.
OUCH.
“Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right for life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold.”
~ Brad Pitt
Except for most of the time,
when it’s been far from my mind,
seeing as how these suffering people are on the other side of the world and all.
OUCH.
“Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right for life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold.”
~ Brad Pitt
Oh to live daily with that kind of passion and fire! Lord, help me remember these people, ALL the people like them around the world who are still feeling hungry, hopeless, and even homeless.
He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” – Matthew 25:45-46
Friend, maybe you are like me and you find the first-hand accounts of real life in the trenches, right where God puts us, gripping and beautiful. These are stories of a much more special variety than you might easily find on CNN. You may want to consider reading the below linked stories of people who are humbly allowing God to work in and through them, long after the storm has blow over:
Did this particular storm affect you in any way? Have any of the figurative storms of life left you reeling lately? Need prayer?
Let me know in the comments or I can always be reached via email at sybil@shelivesfree.com. : )
Linking up today with: Fellowship Fridays, Essential Things, Christian Mommy Blogger, and Growing Home
Very moving…thanks for sharing
Thanks so much for sharing that with me Jacquie, hope to see you again!
I was really sad when the first images after the typhoon showed up on TV. Called the people I know might have relatives there to know how they are doing. Many are from the areas not affected much. A big reminder we are nothing when nature plays like this.
Indeed we are nothing without the Lord’s grace and provision. Proverbs 16:9, James 14:4, 1 Samuel 2:6, Job 1:21. Thanks for sharing with me!
Thanks for sharing Sybil 🙂
Very touching…
I am inviting you to visit me here http://shesclassic.blogspot.com/
Blessings
Thank you & I will be happy to visit you there!
Just stopping by from Bloggers Helping Bloggers. Looks like you’ve got a great site 🙂
Thank you & thanks for stopping by!
We just flew to Bangkok from San Francisco on Philippines Airlines. The Filipinos we dealt with were lovely. I couldn’t help but think back to the suffering caused by the typhoon. Travel makes it very easy to realize that “There but for the grace of God, go I.”
Yes, there but for the grace of God, go I! Nothing like travel to drive home the inter-connectedness and one-ness we all share. Thanks for sharing!
Stopping by from Blessed Learners. Your blog is very inspirational.
Thank you so much for that encouragement and thanks for stopping by! Wishing you a wonderful day!
It is so very sad. We don’t choose where we are born. We could be the ones living there and experiencing this horrible tragedy.
Yes… perhaps these things happen in part to remind us how very much NOT in control and sovereign we are. For then, we can turn to the only one who is.
Your post encouraged and convicted me Sybil! It’s so easy to forget the pain and circumstances of others, especially when they are so far away. Thanks for this post!
Awe Jen, so glad to know you were encouraged today. Yes it is all too easy… I find pretty much always, unless those suffering live in our very own home. That is why I wrote this just as much for myself in my journey to live with intentionality.
“Beauty from ashes”: Isaiah 61:3, one of my favorites. There is a group of Phillipina ladies at my church who work as nannies in our surrounding Jewish community. Thankfully their families are all far away from the wreckage of the typhoon. They remind me of another privilege of my place of birth – to take care of my own children, rather than thousands of miles away taking care of someone else’s so my children might have a chance at a better life in the future. What courage these ladies display! Your post reminds me the irony of us debating whether or not to give our children vaccines that they can only pray to receive in the developing world. Or whether to mother our own children or let someone else do it while we work outside the home. These are our luxuries…choices others do not enjoy.
Laura, thank you so much for your insightful comment! Words can’t express how much I appreciate and agree with your thoughts. I find such meaning and purpose in life, keeping such truths at the forefront of my mind as often as possible. Hope to see you again!
Thanks so much for reminding us of the suffering of many.
Thanks for sharing at Essential Fridays.
Blessings
Mel from Essential Thing Devotions