Hurricane Helpers

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping.’”  ~ Fred Rogers

Dorian, a category 5 hurricane, spent days hovering over the Bahamas causing major destruction with wind and rain before traveling and making landfall on the outer banks of North Carolina.  Other parts of the country were also challenged with the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian.  And the helpers came.

Jermaine Bell, 6 years old, lives in South Carolina.  After seeing the destruction caused by the hurricane, he decided to use the money he had earned and was saving to go to Disney World to help the people in his community.  Jermaine bought chips, hot dogs, and water to give to the evacuees as they were heading to higher ground.  He made a sign to let people know about the free food.  Jermaine fed about 100 evacuees.  He told a reporter from WJBF, “The people that are traveling to go places, I wanted them to have some food to eat, so they can enjoy the ride to the place that they’re going to stay at.”   Jermaine even prayed for a family that their house would still be there and OK when they returned.

Rikki Kahley’s Bride-to-be-bachelorette party was scheduled to be in the Bahamas.  After Hurricane Dorian hit, Rikki called the Nassau Baha Mar resort and found that they had weathered the storm and were still open for business.  Kahley’s sister Chloe, 17, suggested that they try to help the people while they were there.  Thus, the bachelorette party turned into a mission trip.  The bride and bridesmaids contacted family and friends for donations to take with them.  As the day came to depart from the Atlanta International Airport, the nine women and their 40 suitcases left for the Bahamas.  Delta Airlines allowed the extra luggage to be carried for free.  The people at the resort had already set up a foundation to distribute supplies to the neighboring islands.  Baha Mar provided transportation for the group and the supplies that were brought.  There was also around $1800 in cash donations to purchase blowup mattresses and other much needed supplies to give to the people who had evacuated to Nassau.  A little boy also sent a suitcase full of toys.  Rikki and her bridesmaids helped make a very difficult time better by their thoughtfulness and gifts.

Whether it’s a storm caused by nature or a personal storm, may we, too, be willing to share of our time, effort, and resources to help lighten the load for others.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Acts 20:35

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 1:22

Taking a Stand

What is right

is not always popular.

What is popular

is not always right.

In 1990, as a part of a Disciple Now weekend in Burleson, Texas, 10 students in one of the groups expressed a burden for their friends.  In response, the group decided to go to the flagpoles at their schools and pray for their classmates, teachers, and leaders.  After the weekend, a plan took flight with a group of youth ministers who wanted to provide an opportunity for their students to participate in the experience as well.  June, 1990, “See You at the Pole” was officially introduced to 20,000 students at a conference at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas.  It was decided that students would gather at the flagpole at their school on September 12, at 7:00 a.m., and pray.  That year over 45,000 students, in four states, met on the same day, at the same time to pray.  A year later, there were over one million students across the United States who assembled for the purpose of praying for their fellow classmates, teachers, and administrators.  The tradition has continued and on the fourth Wednesday of September this year, students again joined with their peers from all over the world as they surrounded the flagpoles to pray for God to bless and make a difference in them and the people at their schools.

As reports were called in, some schools had hundreds of participants, but at Lake Minneola High School there was one lone student praying by the flagpole.  At first, Hayden Philpot thought he would go ahead and pray as he waited for others to join him.  After a while, when he realized no one else was coming, he said, “The cry of my heart changed.  I asked that God would do something with me standing alone.”   A driver who rode by the school posted a picture of Hayden. 

Janet Philpot, Hayden’s mother, began to receive calls telling her to check Facebook.  When she did, she saw the picture of Hayden standing alone by the flagpole along with hundreds of comments.  “People who professed no faith commended my son for standing up for his.”  Janet texted her son, “You should know that people in our community are going crazy about a young man who stood at a flagpole alone and prayed this morning.  They are talking about what an amazing young man he must be and how proud his parents should be.  And I want you to know that your parents are so proud of you.  You are an amazing young man.  I love you so much.”

When Hayden returned from school, Mrs. Philpot sat down with him and they read the responses together.  Amazed at the comments, Hayden told his mother that when he realized he would be alone that the cry of his heart had been “God, as people drive by, let them wonder, let their hearts be pricked.”  What a big way God answered Hayden’s prayer all because he was willing to take a stand alone.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

1 Corinthians 15:1

The Gospel in Action

It’s been reported on the news, people have shared the event on Facebook, it’s been written up in newspapers as we have seen a beautiful depiction of what it looks like to be a devoted follower of Jesus.  This is a modern day story I want to remember, think about, have convict me, make an impact on my life, and cause me to want to be more like Jesus.  For those who live outside of Texas, and may not have heard the story, may you be encouraged and challenged as well. 

Botham Jean was gunned down, in 2018, by Dallas police officer Amber Guyger when she mistakenly entered his apartment thinking it was her own.  Thinking he was an intruder, Guyger shot Jean and killed him.  This week she was brought to trial and sentenced.  The nightmares of that event have been brought to light once again.  But it is Botham’s 18-year-old brother, Brandt Jean, whom God is using to impact us and show what it looks like to forgive from the heart.  After the trial, Brandt took the witness stand and spoke to Guyger.

The speech wasn’t prepared or written out on paper, but rather expressed straight from the heart.  “I don’t want to say twice or for the hundredth time how much you’ve taken from us.  I think you know that.  I hope you go to God, with all the guilt of all the bad things you may have done in the past.  Each and every one of us may have done something that we’re not supposed to do.  If you truly are sorry, I know I can speak for myself, I forgive you.  And I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you.  And I don’t think anyone can say it again, but speaking for myself, not even for my family, but I love you just like anyone else.  And I’m not going to say I hope you rot and die just like my brother did, but I personally want the best for you.  I wasn’t ever going to say this in front of my family or anyone, but I don’t even want you to go to jail.  I want the best for you.  Because I know that’s exactly what Botham would want for you.  And the best would be give your life to Christ.  I think giving your life to Christ would be the best that Botham would want you to do.  Again I love you as a person, and I don’t wish anything bad on you.”

Then Brandt surprised the judge, and those in the court room, by tearfully asking, “I don’t know if it’s possible, but can I give her a hug please?  Please?”   After a moment of silence, the judge granted the unusual request.

This week a devoted follower of Jesus has given us a living example of the gospel in action.  May we be willing to do our part as well.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37

Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.

Luke 11:4

“Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Luke 17:4

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9