The Lord Liveth, & Blessed be the Rock

Hurricane Helene was a deadly and devastating tropical cyclone that caused widespread catastrophic damage and numerous fatalities across the Southeastern United States in late September 2024. Helene weakened as it moved quickly inland before degenerating to a post-tropical cyclone over Tennessee on September 27. The storm then stalled over the state before dissipating on September 29.

It was today, at Tommy’s house, that we faced head on, the ravages of Hurricane Helene.  Tommy lived on a fairly high bank above the Elk River.  When the flooding hit, Tommy’s sister looked out and said, “The river looks angry!”  Moments later two bridges upstream broke and all hell broke loose, lifting the neighbor’s house and slammed it into Tommy’s house… sweeping away his truck, destroying a small bridge leading to the cemetery, and wiping out three homes (including Tommy’s) along the narrow grounds above the riverbed.

Our men had gotten pretty efficient at winterizing foundations for ‘temporary’ trailers, and Tommy’s was our fifth in two days.  Melody and I generally used our talents inside the trailers taping and heating plastic sheeting to the interior of the windows … and getting to know the owners.  Today was different because, in addition to winterizing the foundations, our fellows needed to jack up the trailer so that it was level.  That meant that Melody and I could not go inside the trailer and thus had time on our hands to explore.

These pictures hardly show the devastation that we witnessed… but they do give a glimpse of normal life upended and families changed forever.   Melody discovered the ‘treasure’ lying in the dirt.  It was a Bible!!!  We delicately lifted it from the ground, and found that the pages were permanently glued shut by the water and mud.  However two pages separated, enough for us to see that the twenty-first chapter of 2^nd Samuel was exposed, recalling David’s words taken from Psalm 18.

“The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock, and may the God of my salvation be exalted!

. . .

God of my strength, in whom I will trust:

My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge.

My Savior, You save me from violence.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy of being praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Yes, indeed the Lord liveth!  He lives in Tommy, Donna, Danny, Angela, Isaiah, and Loretta!  He has given them peace and strength beyond imagination.  He is their Rock, stronghold and refuge. Their love of the Lord, their thankfulness, their hugs and love will remain in our hearts forever!

Beth Johnson