Hanging on to the Feather!

I had no idea how much I would need to cling to the promise of Psalm 91 after submitting today’s meditation in February 2017.  Life’s challenges since then have continued to make me huddle beneath God’s wings.

My husband’s ailing aunt who lived with us passed away in early 2018.  Her care had pushed our limits of endurance.  September 2018 wielded a devastating blow to our area: Hurricane Florence.  Our home, except for downed trees, was spared.  Unfortunately, the 143-year old “retirement” cottage at the lake that we had been restoring flooded, and much of our hard work was wiped out. But we were blessed in that it was not our primary residence.  With FEMA’s help, we have been able to elevate the house and have begun the task of repairing and remodeling.

Our church and our community were not so fortunate.  Our church suffered one million dollars in damages, particularly to the sanctuary and educational wing. Out of this came another blessing, or many.  Our gym/activity center and kitchen were largely spared and became a place for worship, as well as a staging point for recovery teams, work groups from other states, and food distribution.  Volunteers donated money, supplies, and labor to help a needy community.  We came to know our neighbors and were able to help provide much-needed physical and emotional support. It was as though we were all under one giant wing, secure in knowing that God had us in his care. One year following the hurricane we were able to return to our sanctuary, and many of our neighbors are back in their homes.

The return to the sanctuary was short-lived.  Like many churches across our nation, our physical doors are closed due to Covid-19, but our worship continues online and in volunteerism as safely as possible. We can never see the future.  If we could, I think we would be in despair, trying to figure out how to avoid the troubles.  One thing we can know for sure.  God is always with us, only a whisper or a feather away.  God will be there to comfort us and gather us securely beneath God’s wings.