Happy Friday, everyone! I was recently with the survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Those fires just happened over a year ago now. I was asked to speak, not just about recovery, but about faith after disaster. I shared part of my own journey out of Hurricane Harvey that I went through. During that storm, we had 51 inches of water in our house.

I remember standing in my front yard after the final clean out. Everything I owned piled up at the curb. It was devastating. Some things hurt more than others. Like the piano I had since fifth grade. Completely ruined. I did what many people do in moments like that. I tried to console myself, “My family is safe. It’s just stuff. Things can be replaced.”

And that did help – for about 30 seconds. Then came the deeper truth, “But Lord, this was my stuff. These were the things that You blessed me with.” What I was learning, slowly and painfully, was how to hold grief and trust at the same time. The very next Sunday in church, we sang one of my favorite hymns, Children of the Heavenly Father.

I had sung it throughout my whole life, memorized it in school. But when we reached the fourth verse, it really landed for the very first time – “Though He giveth, or He taketh, God, His children never forsaketh. His the loving purpose solely, to preserve them, pure and Holy.” It was in that moment that I realized something important.

I still had questions, I didn’t understand why the disaster happened, but I knew this: God was not forsaking me. In both plenty and loss, He was present, in both giving and taking, He was still working, still preserving, still sanctifying my heart in my life. And that’s when Isaiah 43:2 became real, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.” God doesn’t promise you won’t walk through loss. He promises you won’t walk through it alone.

Prayer
Lord, when we walk through deep waters and painful loss, help us trust that You are with us. Preserve our hearts, strengthen our faith, and remind us that You never forsake Your children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

ITTT