The Storm Has Finally Passed

Well, here we are on the other side of the storm. The winds have subsided. The rain has slowed. The sunshine is coming out… for some, earlier than they would hope (hot sunshine is not your welcomed friend when you don’t have access to A/C).

Last week, Guam (where we currently live) was swept over alongside a category 5 typhoon—Typhoon Sinlaku. God spared our little island, answering our cries for help by turning it away from us, but the sides of such a large & destructive typhoon is still quite destructive.

Many trees were ripped out of the ground. Some plants were stripped bare. Large trees snapped in half. Massive amounts of sand were washed over our main road. Flooding of homes happened (including our laundry room, which was fortunately recessed with a drain, making much to clean up, but gratefully not any lasting damage).

Some lost water to their homes. Most lost power. Wet flood towels struggle drying & smell up the house. Fridges begin to smell like a city dump. Trash couldn’t be taken anywhere. Laundry couldn’t be done.

Eating out of cans. Or granola bars… anything from the pantry.

Glimmers

But restaurants have begun to open. Some homes have countertop gas stoves they can use to cook. Clean-up efforts began. Gasoline supplies are sufficient. Power crews are working inhuman amounts of hours. Water crews are working to restore well water reserves. Stores are now mostly open. Kids are going back to school today in some schools, while some may not get to return to school at all based on the massive damage. Everyone is doing all they can to restore normalcy to our island home.

We spent the afternoon the other day with me just using the push broom to sweep off all the buildup of mushy mud & leaves from our driveway (it was like walking through a shallow swamp to get to our cars).

My husband climbed the ladder to our flat roof to clear the drains so our rooftop “swimming pool” could drain.

Then he cleared broken branches, massive palm fronds, & small fallen trees from the yard.

Little by little. Step by step.

Normalcy Rebuilds Slowly

Now, after 5.5 days, we finally got our power back! (Much improved from our 2 months without after our last super typhoon!)

Dishes that had merely been rinsed got washed. All mildewy cleaning towels from the flooding got washed with a large splash of vinegar. Floors got mopped. Fridge got cleaned. A/C is ON.

The foul smells are reducing. The fresh (COOL) air in our home is returning. And we can finally drink cold water at home again!

No, living through a major typhoon is not fun, but I will say that God gave me so much grace through this one. And now we watch as the island rebuilds step by step, little by little.

This Time, I Knew Better What to Expect, & I Prayed Up

When Typhoon Mawar hit us 2 years ago (our 1^st of 2 super typhoons to come to Guam in 2 years), I was so ill-prepared. Mainly emotionally ill-prepared.

I had been through SO MANY typhoons, it had begun to feel like, “yeah, yeah, here comes another one.” Except it was NOT “just another one.” It was MASSIVE & DESTRUCTIVE like nothing I thought possible. And it lasted for what felt like FOREVER. And the aftermath was JARRING.

But with this one, I knew how bad it COULD get. I was ready for the worst. I prayed up. I asked others to pray diligently on our behalf as well. (Thank you SO MUCH if you were one of them!!!)

I believe it’s one reason why God allows struggles… it shows us that God is capable of getting us through ANYTHING, even when we have NOTHING… it gives us courage to turn to Him in any future struggle, knowing just how capable He is in the midst of any struggle we may face!

When I Did Feel Afraid… God Encouraged Me to Sing Praises to Him…

And when fear of feeling trapped indoors… of the heat & stuffy prison cell of a house it could become… of what we could lose… of no cool water to drink when I get parched & HOT… no refreshment…. When fear began to wriggle into my heart, I would PRAY.

And most times, when I obeyed & prayed, God encouraged my heart to sing praises to Him… so I did.

And as I sang, sometimes silently in my heart, the fear began to recede, replaced with peace. God was still in control.

Little by little. Step by step. That’s all that was needed from me. God was still in control.

God Hears Us… God Cares for Us

And after the worst had passed, when I was feeling discouraged by our dry/room temperature food… I found myself complaining about it. “How long is THIS going to be reality? How much of this do I have to endure with no options to eat anything else? How long will I have to eat this?!” I felt a little conviction upon my heart in the way of being reminded of the Israelites complaining during THEIR hard journey.

And God gently reminded me of the realization that He has previously taught me… that maybe, if instead of complaining about all they didn’t have… that they actually stopped & asked God to provide… maybe they would have gotten what they complained so hard about. After all, God had already gone above & beyond for them! What’s some meat to Him?!

So, I apologized for complaining vs trusting His care for me… & I prayed for it. I said, “God, I don’t know how this would ever be possible, but if in any way it is, could I please have a warm meal & a drink with ice in it? I am feeling really discouraged. If not, help me trust You through it.”

And guess what? That afternoon, my husband decided we needed to go in search of bags of ice to preserve our food as best as possible in our fridge… so on our search, we noticed the sign for Denny’s was lit… that there was a line to get seated… & before I knew it… we were seated inside with a warm meal & icy cold ice water.

Oh, what a kind God we serve!

After the Storm… When the Dust Settles… Praise GOD!

He saw me through this storm with grace to face each moment, even when my fear slipped in, He gently would remind me to stop & sing praises, & then the fear would melt away, replaced with more grace to face the next moment ahead.

He was sufficient. He cared for me. He reminded me I am not in control & that that is okay… because He IS. He reminded me to lean into Him, to trust His provision & care. He protected us.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!

So, in follow up to last week’s post: “Where I Find Hope When Facing a Typhoon–Outside or in My Heart,” He provided. He cared for my heart. He gave me the grace to face each moment that I surrendered to Him. He reminded me to rely on Him rather than myself or anything I could or couldn’t control. He allowed me a chance to show others the HOPE He can provide if they put their faith in Him. He will work this for my good AND for His glory, because He is a good God.

He can be counted on. Put your hope on Him.

Shine HOPE by turning to Him through the storms in your life… & by letting Him shine HIS HOPE through YOUR LIFE.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

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A Note from Michelle:

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Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Lady Slipper Necklace-Golden (silver also available), Handcrafted in India!

Create safe jobs for women in India when you shop the Lady Slipper Necklace, a stunning necklace composed of mauve crystal beads with a gold pendant featuring a botanical design and rose quartz stone. This elegant necklace is dainty and perfect to style for daily wear.

Every purchase creates safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty.

***SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!***

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Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!