Sunday morning my little family slept a little later than usual, swung by Shipley’s Donuts and headed to church. Sunday school had been cancelled, which is totally a bummer because I love that part. I’m such a fellowship person.
We entered the sanctuary and it was slowly filling up. Two weeks ago our church had just started meeting in the sanctuary again after a five-month exodus into the chapel, fellowship hall, and gym while it got a much-needed renovation. That first Sunday back in the new sanctuary was incredible. It was so exciting and there was a wonderful spirit of praise and thanks to God. We sang Chris Tomlin’s “God of this City” and proclaimed that “greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city.” We sang it loud and proud.
The very next Sunday there was no church because of the hurricane. Then there was Sunday, September 21 – only our second service in the newly renovated sanctuary. I cannot adequately describe how different the mood was in the service this week. Quiet. Somewhat broken. Sweet. Humble. Sober. Unsure. Pastor Gregg poured his heart out to love on us and shepherd us. His sermon was directly related to the hurricane and he talked about what we can learn from it. Three things will stick with me. For some people, this was a correcting storm. For others, it was a perfecting storm. And God wants to use it to shave the silliness off of our lives. When Curt and I went to the mall last week to get Baby’s two little outfits after the ultrasound, I can’t tell you how ridiculous and obscene it felt. Were we really at the mall when there was so much devastation everywhere? I think that is what a lot of us are feeling right now. I’m sure it will wear off for most Houstonians, but hopefully it won’t wear off for the Church. I certainly don’t want it to wear off for me. I really need it. This is something I feel God has been doing in my life for the past little while and I want to see the work made complete.
I remember when we were in England how different the elderly people were from everyone else. They had survived The War. Many had been shipped off from their parents when they were kids to live in regions of England where they would be safe from the fighting. They had been through a ton in their young years and they were not caught up in the silliness of the present-day culture. They made do with little and they didn’t need extravagance. This way of being was not attractive to me at age 24. I wanted very much to project a certain image and to have as much as I could of what the world could give me, while having the things of God, too. (I’m not talking about things that are plain sinful as much as things that are permissible, but not beneficial.) I so appreciate God’s patience with me at every stage of life. I also appreciate that He changes me. I am getting ever-so-close to my thirties and I’m happy that in 13 months I’ll cross that line with a different heart and mind than that of my 24-year-old self. I will say the same as I enter my forties, I’m sure.
Pastor Gregg exhorted us let this storm do its work in our lives – to let it be more than the inconvenience that it’s been for most of us. Honestly, I haven’t even been inconvenienced all that much. As he asked the congregation how many were still without power, the vast majority raised their hands. I was stunned. My cross to bear has been a tiny one. Still, He has allowed me to take a look at my own life and see the silliness, and to gaze at what matters. I want to learn this lesson.
That morning we sang “God of This City” again. We did so loudly, not as proudly, but full of faith. As we sang, images of our damaged region flashed across the whole front wall of the sanctuary. Our words went up as a prayer to God. While we worshipped in our lovely new sanctuary, we knew that only a few miles away Second Baptist Church was meeting outside. Part of the dome at the top of their beautiful sanctuary had been ripped away during the storm and the damage was extensive. They are out of their sanctuary indefinitely. The body of Christ in this town is having a moment with the Lord, y’all. How I pray that the fruit will be sweet and that everyone who lives here will get a taste…and see that He is good.
God, You are the God of this city. You’re the King of these people. We feel broken by You but loved at the same time. Like today when I had to give Jackson a spanking for locking me out of the house while I fetched the groceries, but he clung to me for a long time afterward. I know You love us. You are not done with this city. Strengthen the remnant. Build up Your Kingdom here, Lord.
Awesome post. Makes me want to re-commit some things.
What a beautiful post, Amanda.
(I can’t get “He built this city” out of my head and I know it wasn’t Chris Tomlin who sang it – some 70s band with crazy hair!)
Praying for the bible study tonight. I just can’t imagine how great it is! YAHOO-JAH!
Thank-you for sharing your heart with us, Amanda. I think there are some thing here for me to ponder, in my life about what really matters.
When I was in Billings this weekend, I was having an “issue” and prayed “Lord, I know you want to change me here, and I don’t want to.” So, of course, I knew your mom would talk about it too, cuz that’s the way God works, at least in my life. And she did. I’m repenting and praying that He can use this nabal for His noble plan.
Melana in Wyoming
Timely post Amanda for so many of us. The Lord has really been doing a work very similar in my own life over the past few years. It is surprising how far I still have to go, but I am getting it… Understanding what is truly important in this life.
Thanks for the reminder again.
During the wee hours of Saturday, September 13, I lay still in my bed praying to the God of this universe for His protection over all of His children. The wind howled ferociously and unrelentlessly all night as I heard the cracks of huge limbs break from the mighty oaks and come crashing down. Miraculously, none of the trees hit our roof. Thank you, Lord!
Hurricane Ike measured 600 MILES wide and although it only hit as a Category 2+ storm, it had the power and strength of a Category 4 storm.
As I prayed without ceasing, I kept thinking of the words Pastor Joel always says, “Quit telling the Lord how big your problems are and start telling your problems how big your LORD is!”
I did just that. I spoke to that storm in the name of Jesus and rebuked the fury of Ike. I reminded satan that he could try anything he wanted against us, but “As for me and my household, we WILL serve the Lord.”
By daylight, the strength of the storm was evident with trees and debris scattered everywhere. We lost our power about 5:30 am. It tried so hard to stay on as it flickered on and off most of the night. My neighbor had a tree fall against his house but it did not crash through. Another friend in my Dad’s neighborhood was not as fortunate. One of her big oaks cracked in half with the top 15 feet of tree falling right into her living room and rain falling right into her home.
I was amazed as I surveyed the damage and aftermath of the storm, at how many trees fell with the vast majority falling into the streets and not on the homes. Truly, this was a miracle in and of itself.
What I did come to learn in all of this is that there is great resiliency within each of us. I believe our Creator designed us this way. We do what we need to do. We help one another out. We have a great opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to so many who need a glimpse of hope, a word of encouragement, a hug, a meal, a bottle of water, or even a smile. To some, we can only stand shoulder to shoulder not even uttering a verbal word but a silent prayer, as we see the devastation that this storm has caused.
I saw “Jesus” show up in so many ways. He was the guy who unexpectedly drove all night from New Orleans with a trailer of supplies for my neighbor across the street. He had pulled a trailer that contained a generator, 2 A/C window units, 6 containers of gas, and ICE. Precious ICE!! He was the man at the gas station trying to help everyone out and keep traffic moving. He was also the policemen and EMS rescuing the stranded. I saw Him again as a couple who drove around town to find needed supplies and deliver food, a huge generator, and a hug.
I also saw so many acts of kindness and love. The altruistic kind of love and generosity that goes the extra mile. People kept the street drains free and clear of debris so that the rain water could be carried away. People WANTED to help! Neighbors who are usually so busy that they only have time to wave to one another as they head off to work were dining together by candlelight or enjoying a meal together on a driveway or back patio; not just one meal, but several. People making sacrifices for one another in hopes of helping to ease the other’s burdensome load.
I don’t know exactly what Ike was like for you. But I truly believe that each of us can take something from this horrible experience and learn from it or grow from it. It is amazing how you realize you don’t HAVE to have a computer and a phone with you 24/7. Especially if the electricity is out and it is not an option! God is the REAL source of POWER!! The only source of power we need!
I am just wondering…. Were you able to experience “Jesus” last week? Did He have on steel toed boots and drive all night? Did He deliver food to you? Maybe you were you the hands and feet of Him for someone in need. Were you able to let your light so shine so that others may see Christ in you and praise God the Father? Oh how I pray so!
There is a great mission field right in front of you. Reach out with an outstretched arm and sow those seeds. The ground is ready to be planted. The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Oh what great joy there is in giving and living! To God be the glory forever and ever!
Please let us hear your stories and if there is anything at all I can do for you, please let me know right away. God loves you all so much and has something huge in store. Even in the midst of this storm or other storms in your life, God is with you and cares so very much. Call out to Him and He will hear you.
God bless you.
Roxanne
Amen. What a good and sobering word, Amanda.
Thank you.
Kimberly
Amanda,
Thank you so much for sharing your heart today. I know that God speaks to all of us through this blog and I really needed to hear this! I am feeling very convicted of the silliness in my own life. The pull of this world is so strong, even for those striving to live for Jesus. Praise God, He loves us enough to change us. I am praying for your city and this country…that God will send a revival like we have never seen and break our hearts for the sins of the world.
God bless you!
Amen Amanda AMEN !!! You Moore women have such a gift for writing. If I weren’t at work, I promise you the tears would be flowing non-stop right now. !! Your words force me to look at my “silliness” and see where I am at with my Lord. I, too, want the work to be completed in me. Thank you SO much for sharing your hearts, all of you, to truly touch the heart of women all over. Thanks, (and congrats on the news about Jackson’s little sista !!)
I read your post with great understanding. It is so necessary to have trials for the building of our reliance upon God Our Father. I read your post with a stillness in my heart and tears welling up in my eyes. You touched my heart. As the tears were flowing down my cheeks I read the last paragraph and burst out in laughter when I came across the sentence about Jackson. It was a laughter of relief, understanding, joy for your family, but mostly a laughter that comes from within when you are experiencing tragic event surrounding many communities. That nervous but relief-filled laugh. Nervous because you know life is funny in a weird way sometimes but you also know it isn’t always appropriate to laugh. Then the laugh leaks out and you feel a sense of release. Release of the emotions that then enable you to cry. And cry, cry, cry.
Thank you for this message. It is greatly appreciated and received with much humility.
Blessings
Kelli in Colorado
Thank you, Amanda – oh, how I need to “shave the silliness” from my life – I just didn’t know how to say it! I guess God was waiting for you to bring it to my attention. I have prayed for all the folks hit by this latest storm and still am, but it is so easy to get caught up in “what doesn’t really matter” in our daily lives. I’m asking God to help me let go and look straight to Him.
In Him,
Patty
What a wonderful post. We should all pray for perspective in our lives. Hopefully the silly things can be edited out of our lives, and the true nature of Christ shine through.
So Jackson can figure out locks. The antics of a two year old will keep you on your toes.
Amanda, thank you so much for that! I, too, am thankful I am not who I was at 24 as I’m approaching 30 myself. I also pray that I will look back with each decade, each year even, (wishful thinking) and be able to say the same. As long as it means I look more like Jesus. I SO pray that it will be so!
Praise God for each inch we grow!
p.s. didn’t mean to rhyme those last two lines. 🙂
Amanda,
I’m praying that what is happening in your church and your city spills over into my husband’s life as he is there working. I know God has a plan and — I’m going to be as transparent as one can be here – God has brought some real perspective to us over this summer about the important and the trivial.
He really got a hold of me about our finances this summer and reminded me that all of my life I’ve made plans, sought solutions and then asked Him to bless what I was trying to do. I had never given it to Him first and tried following Him out.
He has used this storm to prove that the “little” prayer I prayed about our finances and debt is being answered in a Hurricane Ike sort of way.
I weep over the devestation, the loss of home and life… I care more for those who need my husband to be there than what we get out of his extended stay working in the area… yet, in it is an immeasurable blessing and God standing beside me looking toward the horizon, saying “See, I had this plan for all of you all along!”
You’ve shared what that looks like in your life today… So… for the rest of us in Siestaville – what does that look like for you?
I appreciate what you shared Amanda. I live on the west coast and quite honestly, I don’t always really know what it means to have a hurricane come through your area. And honestly, it becomes very easy to be complacent and even numb about what might be going on. When you have no idea, it dosen’t hit. I am guilty of this, and I appreciate you shedding light on the subject. I can’t imagine what it would really take to live with no power or with no home. I pray for all of them, that the LORD would provide homes, power, food and peace of mind for these folks.
Amen
This was an awesome post, Amanda. I so want to learn this lesson, too. I think all the hurricanes and the media coverage makes it seem so unreal to most of us. I pray that God will use this time for His mighty work in your city!
Amen Amanda! What a powerful word that is needed and what a lesson for all of us to learn! I have often thought that God may be allowing the state of our economy and the storms to be a correcting of sorts for America.
I too want to learn this lesson! I pray in agreement with you that this humbleness will be brought to completion in each of our lives.
Amen! Dear Sister! I was at that same service and felt a bucket of cold water fall on me as Pastor Gregg spoke. I want the Lord to shave the silliness off of my life!!! Yes Lord, all of it..
Thanks for sharing, Amanda — the prayer at the end of your post is so meaningful. We could all pray that for our own cities…
A great post! As a worship band we’re just learning ‘God of this city’ for a conference next weekend here in Bracknell in the UK and hearing what’s going on with you guys has just brought a new dimension to that song for me. Praying for you as you reach out in your city and as churches come together to see God reign in your city.
Your words are so encouraging, Amanda. Thank you for sharing part of your journey with us. It’s so neat that you see such progress in your character being developed. I especially liked your thought about God not being done with this city yet. And how grateful I am that He’s not done with me yet either.
For a long time, my pastor and our church and so many, many others had been praying for revival in New Orleans. I was born and raised here and even though I truly wanted revival for my city, I inwardly doubted God could do it! I mean, we were the ‘City That Care Forgot’ and ‘The Big Easy’ and we were known worldwide for the debauchery of Mardi Gras and heavy occult influences such as Voodoo. And don’t even begin to mention our crooked politicians! I remember our pastor telling us that a godly pastor from Africa had told him “Dennis, if you want your city truly changed for the Lord then God is going to have to bring New Orleans to her knees”. Then along came Hurricane Katrina. Talk about a city being brought to its knees! Although devestated, I was stunned that God allowed this event, not in His hatred of us, but in His unfathomable love for us!!!! I cannot even begin to tell you the wonderful things that have come out of this horrific tradgedy. Truly, the name Katrina, I think, was no accident. It means ‘cleansing’ and that’s exactly what’s been going on in our city. We may never see all the good that God brought out of that storm this side of eternity, but like you, I believe it has made many of us take stock of what’s truly important and how fleeting life can be and how temporal material things are. God loves Houston and Galveston and all the other areas hit by Ike. He’s doing something BIG. I’m praying for y’all.
Love,
Libby
Thanks Amanda. How true. We may be without electricity but not without power. Thank God.
I couldn’t agree with you more! We had to meet in our student building at The Met because the main building is still without power. It was incredible……..people showed up to church with wet hair and wrinkled clothes, just happy to be in the presence of God (and air conditioning!).
It made me realize that there is a lot of “dressing” we do to go to church…..and I don’t just mean our outfits. It was a raw and wonderful service about “Weathering the Storms in our Lives”.
Ike made me realize that there is so much I do with my life that allows me to declare myself a “Very Busy Mom”. It was all stripped away with the hurricane and it was a wonderful week with my family and neighbors – it was simple.
I continue to pray for all of those so badly affected by the storm!
Amanda,
I think this post is appropriate for all of us. As we face a tumbling economy, gas shortages, mortgage crises, and all the rest, I think God is trying to get our attention and sift out the silliness, the excesses. I think He is trying to tell us that it is time to get serious about His business.
I find that I have an amazing peace in the midst of all this–FINALLY. It has taken a while for me to get to this point, but I thank Him that I am. He is our peace. No matter what happens, He is still on His throne and none of this has taken Him by surprise.
HE REIGNS!! My part is to be submissive to Him.
Leah
I loved the whole post but especially the visual of Jackson clinging to you. I know what you mean. As human beings faced with the reality of God, we either shake our fist at Him when He humbles us…or we praise Him through the storm. On our knees. I’ve got a strong feeling that revival is coming. Let’s take advantage of every opportunity to be a witness for Him in this dark, cruel world. People are ready for TRUTH. And Jesus is TRUTH.
Amanda,
The LORD loves you and your tender heart towards HIM and the things of HIM. HE gently leads us at each stage of our lives.
You are learning the lessons well as HE only need show you and your sweet heart breaks.
Those like myself, who’ve “locked HIM out of the proverbial house” and got the spanking of a lifetime get it also. It’s so much easier to have HIM tender our hearts that burn our backsides.
I thank HIM that I “know” a young woman that is obedient and tender towards HIM in a day and age of obstinate and hardness.
Blessings and love to you and your family and to Jackson. My daughter locked me out of the house when she was 4 and dared her 2 year old brother to let me in.
I had gone looking for a “switch” to tap her legs for misbehaving badly (the child who would make James Dobson take a sabbatical on the Isle of Patmos!).
When I found the door locked and my 2 year old son on his knees in the chair looking at me through the window, I could have fainted!
I asked him to let “Mommy” in and his quiet little baby voice said, “I can’t. She can’t let me”.
I heard the voice of the four year old “Queen of the Reign of Terror” in the background proclaim, “You heard what I said, no letting Mommy in as long as she is still giving me a spanking and that’s it!”
Bless your heart…I will pray you teach your children well. It’s the best job and the hardest I have ever done!!
Teri
I didn’t experience Ike, but my great God is still doing some of the same work in my life. May it overflow from life to life to the church as a whole. And may we experience a revival. Send it God!
Thank you for sharing this with all of us instead of just keeping it to yourself. Your post has been a blessing!
What a fitting analogy of the spanking. That really put it into perspective. Awesome post, Amanda.
Michelle
What you said is so very true. Some will forget, but we should pray that the church lets this experience pull the scales from our eyes. We moved to the New Orleans area almost a year after Katrina and it was very depressing. During the first Sunday in our church they sang the Casting Crowns song Praise you in the Storm to remember the anniversary of Katrina. It was very humbling to know that all the people around us had lost so much….some of them lost everything.
God uses it all to grow us if we let him.
Lord, give back in abundance to those who lost so much.
btw, many would have done the same in your situation with buying something special for you new baby coming. Sorry, I know I already posted a comment.
Amanda,
Thanks for your awesome post. It really opened my eyes to some things.
I attend Second Baptist and, yes, we were all outside on Sunday….and it was HOT! But, we were there praising the Lord and praying for our city and surrounding areas. Dr. Young gave a great sermon with one main phrase: With every crisis, there is always OPPORTUNITY! Very powerful during this time.
Can’t wait for bible study tonight!!
Thank you Amanda, you are a role model and this is a most needed post. My kids were in Galveston, may have lost everything we don’t know yet (heading out tonight for the island). I am not feeling sorry for them and neither are they, we are just waiting to see how the Lord works it all out (they are 23 and 24). The bondage of materialism on your generation is so scary, and in the light of what the future might hold makes you all so much more vulnerable. May God be praised and may you find riches and treasure beyond measure in His will for you life. Shalom
Great post, Amanda!
Thank you for sharing and for redirecting the hearts of those that weren’t in the area but living in silliness with so much going on in this world.
Thank you for this post. It is a reminder for me of how God used Katrina to move people out of their pews and into the streets to help their neighbors. Some times He needs to blow the walls off the church to get us to go outside.
Yes and Amen!
Thanks Amanda.
Annette
Thank you Amanda for sharing your heart. I find myself in tears right now because God of this City has been confronting me on every side and yes it’s so humbling.
Praying for you and your city,
tammy
Amanda – I enjoyed your perspective on this huge event. I know God has been consistently changing me for awhile (and I still have a ways to go). As I’ve completed “Breaking Free” and am still working on “No Other Gods”, one of my idols was the TV. After I lost power in my apt. the night the storm came through, and after much thanks I gave God for the cold front (didn’t it feel great!), I said, “well OK then, God, I hear you loud and clear; now is the time to wean myself from TV”. I read books, did some productive cleaning, listened to studies on KHCB. It was great…….not easy, but I made it. Well, don’t you know when I got power back last Sunday, everything lit up, EXCEPT THE TV !!! I just roared and thought, God is so brilliant and boy, does He know me well. I think my TV is dead and I think I will take the challenge and not get another for awhile. P.S. I started a new book.
Amanda, as we all try to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” i think the Lord forgives a bit of “silliness” when we are so rejoicing over his wonderous blessings!
Beautiful post, Amanda. Thank you! I really needed to hear it.
After going through Katrina and Rita….I know just what you are feeling and going through.
God changed some things in our lives after that.
It gets better…but you will NEVER forget those times and how you viewed the world just a little differently.
Three years out and I am still seeing ways it touched my life.
Dearest Amanda….God is so working in my life as well. This post couldn’t come at a more appropriate time. I have just started doing Stepping Up and oh my goodness. What I have already learned about myself. Even though the hurricane didn’t physically hit my area we are feeling the after affects, like gas shortages. I personally feel this is God’s way of humbling us and helping us to see what is really important in our lives. I also think this is his way of saying, hello…I AM IN CHARGE…..not you. We take so many things and people for granted and my eyes have so been opened to His greatness and the things I really don’t need, after all we can’t take it with us when we meet our Savior nor do we need it. I praise God for that. All we need is Him.
God Bless
Beautiful post and a reminder of how ignorant I can be to the plights of those around me. I seriously thought power had been restored. I had no idea.
Praying for your communities and that we will all be spiritually affected even if not physically.
That was beautiful, Amanda!
Wow, whether God is correcting, perfecting or shaving, it’s not only in Houston as much of the country has experienced some sort of devastation in 2008. For those of in West Texas, we look on as the Rio Grande rolls by full speed ahead from a busted levee near Presidio. Not only physical storms, but the financial ones too.
I pray we humble ourselves and pray, seek God’s face, turn from our wicked ways, then God will hear us from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Engrafted by His Grace-
Shonda
Oh my Amanda. I can see why you wrote this post. And on the surface it’s truly profound in and of itself. What I have to share with you it that it penetrated my heart in a way that I can’t quite describe. All I can say is that it’s definitely a “God thang.” I know I should be amazed as He works through other’s words (even blog posts), but I am. Hallelujah! He is God of This City and certainly God of my heart.
Love ya lots,
~Cheryl
Amanda, what a powerful lesson. As we travel back and forth to different regions of Africa, my heart and mind are forever changed with each trip. We see the devastation of war, poverty and disease, and it puts the frivolity of this life into perspective. It makes it quite difficult to be comfortable here. I guess that’s what we’re aiming for. Thanks for sharing.
Oh Amanda, what a great post. Yes, the Lord does change us and our priorities thru the years. I just crossed over earlier this month into my forties. I see things SO differently than in my thirties…Thank you, Jesus! He’s been stripping away many things in my life that were yes, permissible, but not at all beneficial….you know, the temporal things. I’ve been exchanging such things for the eternal ones, the forever ones. I have so much more joy and way less stress by focusing on what really matters. I still love life, and doing fun stuff…even having some things. But, they are not ruling my life, I have cast them down, not letting them have a stonghold on me. He is my only stronghold…I will fight to keep Him as the only High and Lifted One in my life.
Praying for Houston and all the others. Indeed, there is no one like our GOD!!! Greater things have yet to come…
Wow! Now, I feel terrible about being so excited about our Hyundai Santa Fe that we just bought and even worse that I’m still a little disappointed that I couldn’t get a brand new 2008, like we really wanted. God still provided the one we wanted, just a year older. That’s okay. That’s the vehicle we were supposed to have.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful thoughts – God is good! It’s good to hear how God is working in all this and through this.
Praising Him for His patience with the silliness of my youth,
Andrea
Thank you for that sweet post.
God Bless you and your family.