The Storms of Life (8/8/2019)

Thank you guys so much for having me preach this morning. It's a great honor to be able to share this with you guys. So let's pray. How many father Lord let's just be in his place Lord Lord, let these words come out of my mouth Lord be yours. Let's the ears that need to hear it hear it and I'll ever needs to be set aside. I asked in your holy name. Amen. I don't know about you, but it was a crazy week.

Last Friday when I was staring at my phone looking at the news report and seeing that forecast I was freaking out. Ricky was going to Ohio and I was looking at staying by myself pregnant and a house without AC. with power outages and I was like I can barely stand outside for 5 minutes. Without having to pass out because of the heat. I don't think staying in the house without power for I don't know how long is going to work. So I took off I ran from the storm. Amazon didn't happen in hindsight. I probably should have waited till Saturday at least to make that decision, but I made it hastily and part of it is because my history that we're going to get through a minute, but this was the Whopper of the Oh, that's right. Now I'm sorry guys. Okay, this is not our Dorian. Right and that thing was huge and it was scary and it wasn't even a good picture of it cuz that I was scary and that track was scary. I was scared cuz there's another storm like it that I went through. But before we get to that I wanted to take a minute and think of Bahamas. Happy thankful to God that this is an us. That storm stayed there and stayed there and stayed there and wouldn't budge. was poor people I was I left because I didn't want to be in a house without AC. And the storm Waters covered their roofs.

It's a miracle anyone but survived that storm.

Let's keep him in mind this morning Saturday. We were the lucky ones. I am glad that I evacuated for new storm coming.

I'm glad that I came home and beat her here or shipping.

like I said

I have history with storms. I went through Katrina and I was a freshman in high school.

I remember. They made an announcement. I don't even remember. What day was it Thursday before and they said we are canceling school. You're not coming back for these days. As soon as I got home. I knew that it was my responsibility to start packing the news that we were going to head history of evacuated for storms evacuate for George to my cousin's house when I was I don't know about 6 7 years old now, it's funny because there's my uncle's wedding than following week. And so we got all the wedding stuff with us and we were finishing preparations for the wedding while going through the store. And then we evacuate for Ivan the year before Katrina and we stayed in traffic. We went from New Orleans to Houston and we were in traffic for 20 hours. Because traffic was backed up so much like a Bus full of people that had caught on fire their past all kinds of stuff and literally fishing along scared.

Katrina happen, so I knew that I had to prepare for it. So I packed everything up. Got everything ready for like okay where we going? Cuz when we evacuated it wasn't just me and my mom and dad my sister and Cat it was me and my sister all the animals plus my mom on my papa my great-grandma. My great-aunt my other aunt. My cousin is all of us. We're all evacuating. That's what happened every time. Tell if my cousin don't know Plantation in Marksville, which is about an hour and a half West in distance. Gainesville is maybe a little further Jacksonville said he was coming.

And we stay there and watched as the storm turned. and we watched as the weather starts getting worse and worse where we were with flickered power flickered a little bit and you did end up going out but that night in a different type of storm hit our family to We had a big huge family fight. That caused our family to have to leave our evacuation and go back home. the night Katrina hits

we didn't know what we were going home to. We need of the storm path. We have seen the pictures of the Superdome had known that windows were blown out your new going home Snoop out. But we didn't know it's by the time we got to our Parish line, which is the same as counties.

the levees had been breached in New Orleans and they were scared that the other levies in our parish and the surrounding parishes. We're going to bridge 2 and they wouldn't let us end. So we went to my uncle's house Ashley my cousin's house and the parasite we could get to stay the night. Then in the morning and sunlight they were able you were able to get into my mom's house. This is where things get interesting. We had 20 people. 5 dogs and a cat in my mama's house and I was thinking was we camped out right so they brought the the mattresses for my mom was bad from spare bed. And the older people suck on those like my great grandma and all that and then my mom and dad got the couches and some other people got the couches on the floor on the blanket. My sister did to we were lucky to just have a pillow. We spent two weeks like that. So when I saw this monster of a storm named Dorian. And I'm pregnant. Yeah. I was a little scared. Because we were the lucky ones during screen at 2. We had a generator we were able to cook cuz we had a gas stove we were able to do those things. We had a good old time. I think we were playing music and playing games and all this stuff, but it's still have this impact on me cuz that's what storms do storms believe an impact. See if there's more than just storms physical storms. bears storms of life the cam that aren't so concrete is a hurricane or tornado or any other disasters is faster than or lights all the time. 1 major disaster that happened to me is my mama passed away for a massive heart attack. And you were planning my baby shower for Ricky Lee. And it was had gone down to New Orleans for my gender reveal to have a baby shower viewing for a funeral.

That had an impact on my life. That storm was a hard storm to get through storms. In 2016. I started working with emcor as a case manager during the Munroe is to work what?

And I'm core is the United Methodist committee on relief and basically what they do is they go in and they provide services for those who are affected by disasters here and abroad. Amcor is a great organization that supplies United Methodist conferences with funds to be able to go into their own community and help as I don't know how to Historic fly where there was it was rains and the rains flooded the swampy areas around and the flood waters went and it wouldn't stop until it rain for about a week and 1/2 in his those floodwaters got so high that it completely wiped out. The lower line. There was churches and home and people who were displaced and we were moving that

I wasn't even there yet when the flood happened. Ricky was he had just gotten there and so he was mucking out houses and stuff his like second week on the job in Monroe.

But I wasn't there yet. But I was still called help these people recover from storms that I knew what storms were. And so I was able to help and I was able to go in and beat his case manager that where I went in and saw these people's houses. AirHead and guess what this house is worth in good shape for the storm. I want the storm hit. There's nothing. I could do. I need a new place to live. There's one house. That was so bad. I am fortunately couldn't do nothing for Look up the floor was completely gone. The roof was coming down and places. There's absolutely nothing I could do because the roof because the females rules are there's a bad bruise. You can't put new floor on it because it's going to mess up the new floor that's on course was in theaters rules are if your roof was bad and it's a flood. There's no way you're going to get help because your roof was Batman first place because you neglected your roof. We're in a poor community. How many of you have perfect roofs?

I know might have some about it has hurt the group, but it was put on because of the last hurricane.

If you don't have a perfect and you have a full if you can't get much help. We were able to have some people who did have bad news because of a specific Clause there wasn't anything we could help cuz they're Foundation to their homes weren't good in fridge.

So let's get physical references here in biblical terms. What do we think of you think of the big flood? Right? We might think of Jonah and the storm on the sea before he got tossed out and got swallowed by the whale We might think of Jesus walking on water during the storm that we have here and Luke Luke is not just in it is in Mark as well. No packages walking on water is in every gospel except for Luke. I couldn't figure out why exactly but I have something in John and there's something weird going on, but I couldn't figure out why is that What is important to know that these disciples grew up?

I'd rather Southeast Louisiana, right, you know water, you know swamps and you know boats. You know how to put on strip boots before you can walk and you knew what how how to go crabbing before you knew how to swim. Wichita was but if you put me in a boat today, I'm still going to be scared. Do you know these guys Blues on the water?

They also knew that storms were prevalent on a c a guy like it's like living in Florida and knowing their turkey. These guys knew the storms were about and they knew that they were deadly as well because of its location alarms that come in NC. These storms roll in and roll out on a constant basis and it tosses the sea tremendously. Now you might not know what a pirogue is, but that's something one of our boats in, Louisiana right now.

I can imagine being in a peer all type thing like they have. I mean honestly Galley or Storms Come. Yeah that I would be scared, too.

Look it on the to the store here. The one that Jesus and his disciples at got in the boat. They were on Sea of Galilee crossing over to the other side. And everything is called. And Jesus fell asleep. He was tired. Cuz I don't know about you but creatures usually are tired directly after they reach the crowd day in and day out. I will probably go home and take a nap, right? And so you have the store and just comes out of nowhere you had to waves whipping his phone back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and you have this it's filled with disciples. And there's no room TV moving his boat. They have lightning come down and thunder and all this rain and watering waves are pushing the boat over and Jesus sleeping.

You would think the splash of the waves on his. What awakened? No, not Jesus Jesus is cool, collected and taken himself and nap in the middle of the storm. Staples know how deadly this can be

so are rushing around they're scared and they're frantic and I like you.

Just wake up inside. What is all this yelling about? Come become stuff.

stop

can't help but think that I was one of those disciples to speak. to a freaking out in the boat

You know. It's easy. freak out

they reached out and they had cheese in the pool with them in the boat. I'm still freaking out.

I didn't know what to do after they were like the wind and waves obey him How can I speak?

You know, there's there's two types of storms in our lives. There's the ones that we can prepare for like the hurricane. The one that we can we have ample time. We know they're coming and we know for days and days and days and days that they're coming. And this means that they're going to make a turn but can't see it. We know this and we prepared for that. And then there's also the storms in life, but the tornadoes that just come and wipe out whole city blocks and instant. You can't prepare for that. You can try. very hard storms in life My mama dying instantly I had to pay it from my mama died. somewhat I really think she was going to die then.

be prepared for You can prepare for all kinds of things in life that happened. But then you don't necessarily know and it still hasn't back on you. It's crazy things in life that come up an instant matter fact while we were in New Orleans when my cousins died unexpectedly this trip. I was on my way. We haven't even reached. The house yet, and we got a call that my cousin had a massive heart attack. I need to make it.

We can't necessarily prepare for those things and it's not just people dying and can be unexpected anything that comes in Life Unexpected to be. Oh my goodness. I have a flat tire today. What am I going to do? Right or is it be?

Tell your money when you're trying to move anything in life.

But storms are there. Integration some important things that we need to focus on here. So Jesus was asleep. And I know I have emphasized that once already Jesus was asleep in his disciples. had experience of storms in a new and then you but he is asleep. Disciples had to come and wake him. Did you put in a boat during a storm? Jesus Jesus was there. Jesus is there with us during our storms in life? Even before the storm happen he's there with us, but just because we are Christians and we have Jesus with us in our boat. Does not mean that storm isn't coming. Doesn't mean it's not going to Ripple us doesn't mean it's not going to push our boat around doesn't mean we are not going to get hurt by that store. but you

I know there but keep that point out that because Jesus was asleep to disciples ask him for help. we to have to ask you how we're going to just go through it and it's going to be we have to wake him up. We have to pray. We have to ask for his help. And he will be there. He was there for the Bible to be there for you. All you have to do is that I thought we did they did they ask in Jesus woke up.

They woke up with her still scared, right? I mean human nature to be scared during the storm human nature to be scared while you're going through stuff. Even when Jesus woke up, he was still scared even when he calms the storm. And that's okay. It's okay to be scared on certain time. It's okay. It's not think rationally. During uncertain times. I mean I left, Florida.

but It's still know Jesus is with you in a comment.

When Jesus woke up with the waves everything I didn't work this week on the word calm and it means to be silent. How many times when you're in your storms of life are you silent?

Even when things calm down and listen to be I'm here chattering about how I left. I'm still not calling about it.

I don't think it's hard to become even more.

It's hard to take that break into thinking about what a black thing. It is that the storm has passed and you are alive.

You know, it might be cliche, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It does.

We are told in life that life won't be easy and it won't and especially if you're a Christian guess what it gets harder. You have a fun compartment riding in your butt with you, but it's still hard like it's hard. It doesn't just come and Easy Flow and what is like this? Life comes in the storms. I think God for the storm.

but there is also this aftermath

Storms coming my eyes are completely destroy things.

physical storm Steel emotional storm Steel family Storm still unfortunately, I hate to say it but my mama passed she was the reigning matriarch of our family. and unfortunately with her passing the family will never

not because she's gone but because of what happened when she was.

And you're right. It's us so many families crumble at the loss of a loved one. But it sometimes it just takes one fight in a friendship with a friendship to crumble. Sometimes it takes one in Stick. everything falls apart

Devastation is Devastation no matter how you look at it. But guess what? Jesus didn't leave the boat storm was over. He was still there in the boat with the disciples very confused very bewildered and very uncertain. We are after one of our stores. In the wake of a storm in the aftermath of the storm.

God is still with us.

Who let him meet us through that way?

so in conclusion

life storms are powerful impactful their disastrous. They can be prepared for and they can be immediate. But they come no matter what they come to people of all shapes and sizes religious backgrounds Creed everyone everyone in this storm the difference between a person who is a Christian and who is not and they're facing a storm is that we have Jesus in our boat.

He's there you might be asleep.

funny bear

All we have to do is ask for his help and is there no I don't want to give you false. Hope just because we ask for help doesn't mean he's going to wake up and come every single storm in your life. It's not going to happen storms are meant to happen. If a natural occurrence, Mike is a natural thing in nature thing. Is it storms didn't happen in nature the flowers grow. The trees wouldn't grow. We wouldn't have things to survive on oxygen. water sure happened in nature just like it has to happen in your life. the important thing to remember is

soup the other thing I want you to know is this the others are going through storms in their life. Sometimes you can pick it up easily. Sometimes you can't we are all call help those going through. We are called to be in the boat with them. We are called be there on the shore waiting for them when they return and we are there called. He's there mucking out houses and building new ones for them. beautiful physically and mentally when you're going through a storm in life. And your heart is broken. You need a friend. holdren Need a shoulder to cry. I need someone to confide in and we are called as Christians to be that person. We are also called as Christians to be that person who was there helping them rebuild when they're going like this. What do I do now?

It's so I want to say that next week. We are going to have a special offering for Encore. Because we are all called help in some way.

I found you.

Those funds really do go to those people. They really do goats build houses. part of it

But more than that, I challenge you to see the storms in each other's lives and your friends your family's lives and be there. Sometimes you just need to be in the boat and present. Sometimes need help him rebuild. up to you to help

How many fathers would thank you so much for this opportunity to to preacher where Lord and see to connect Lord Lord, you know the storms in our lives, you know, what each one of us are going through, you know, the fact that these physical storms and he's emotional songs in all these storms in life happen. But you're there with us inside the boat. All we have to do is ask for your help for your guidance fruit for you to come storms and more even though the storm might still be going on. If you, our hearts, you know that you are there. Lord I could go out today Lord let their hearts be happy for those who are impacted by Dorian and any other hurricane that might come our way this season and in the future and Lord, we thank you so much for staring us. We pray for those who have been impacted that your love-making shown and shared through this situation. And as we go out Lord. Let us remember you. And let us, our hearts and be silent for you. May I ask this in your holy name?