April 10, 1979 started out like any other Tuesday. The kids were out of school for Easter break and the city went about it’s business totally unaware that this day would go down in history and forever be known as “Terrible Tuesday.”
The tornado cut a swath a mile wide leaving death and destruction in its wake. When my family poked our heads out of the cellar, we had no idea what we would see. We raced to a trailer park a block away to pull survivors from out of the wreckage. People were walking around like zombies. That one moment in time had changed all our lives.
Then something happened that none of us were prepared for. The sun went down. Without power throughout the city, the darkness was paralyzing. Helicopters could be heard overhead and the sound of sirens pierced the blackness. All the landmarks familiar to us were blown away. Even if you wanted to help, you just couldn’t see.
I remember lying in our bed that night in our unscathed home listening to the commotion outside on the roads and in the air and feeling so hopeless and helpless. We had no power or water and we had no idea what would come next. I dozed off until I was awaked by the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. The sun. That next morning, when the sun broke through and illuminated the challenge ahead, it was as if I was alive again. It seemed like God was telling me, I’m still here. I’m dependable and I love you and here is the sun to prove it.
We all face challenges every day. Maybe not the same magnitude as “Terrible Tuesday”, but they bring darkness none-the-less. As Christians, God says of us that we are His own people, chosen to proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. We have a light to share and to shine in this dark world.
At Faith Mission and Faith Refuge, we will shine that light brightly for all who need to see God’s love and faithfulness. Some dark times may seem darker than others but God’s light is always the same. Whether it is a day or a season, the Psalmist tell us, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
