To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for all things. Days and even hours before Ian, there was a time for preparation. A time for arrogance. Of making light of something we know will be bad, but for someone else, not us. We will be fine. Then Ian came, and I had the privilege of being in it’s eye wall for over four hours, as it stalled over my beautiful little community.

Then there was a time to access the humbling devastation that was everywhere. We started getting news that the high winds and storm surge had destroyed so many homes and businesses and so much death and destruction around us, especially in the Fort Myers area.

There was a time to mourn. The sadness of seeing things worked for over a lifetime taken away. The guilt of knowing that your loss is so much less than that of those just a few streets away. The sorrow of knowing that some things are gone forever. And knowing that you made it and many didn’t, and the fear of recovery. And on and on. And the mental exhaustion of it all.

A time to rebuild. We know with so many needing so much, rebuilding will take time. Our faith is strong. God is still in control and I am not afraid.

Amen.