{{item.title | uppercase}}

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

May 20th, 2013 a massive tornado tore through the town of Moore, Oklahoma only a few miles from my home. The destruction was massive in scale, with many homes leveled and many lives lost.

Our state was quick to respond and rally around each and every family affected by this awful tragedy.

In the aftermath, my husband and I went down in the middle of the rubble and handed out water to those digging through piles of twisted shards of what used to be their home.

That day was overwhelming. We both left with broken hearts and tears in our eyes for what we had just seen. Home after home after home completely demolished. We wondered what on earth they would even salvage from such devastation.

How would these people start over when they’d lost everything? Will they be able to rebuild? Would they even want to rebuild?

Two months later I was standing in the midst of my own life-shaking event in the loss of my husband’s life. I felt, in many ways, like these people must have felt.

We both had an event that swept in suddenly and shook everything we thought we knew.

We had both lost the things we held so dear.

We had both seen our lives turned to rubble.

We both were standing in the midst of the ruins saying, “What now?”

A year later I was able to go back into some of the same neighborhoods my husband and I had driven through that day in May.

I almost couldn’t even recognize where I was.

The landscape had changed dramatically.

Row after row of homes, rebuilt.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Many were bigger than before.

Many were better than before.

These people hadn’t just returned to their lives– they were determined to return even stronger.

But the longer I drove, I saw a different scene.

It was an empty lot.

Where a home once stood.

The tornado had wiped it away.

The owners did not return.

Instead a “for sale” sign stood in its place.

Not that I could blame them.

Who would want to return to the scene of such devastation? Who would want to go right back to the place where they lost it all?

In the last year of my life, I’ve been faced daily with many of the same questions they probably had.

Where do I go from here? How do I salvage the pieces of my life? How do I replace what was stolen? How do I even begin to wade through this rubble?

Sure, no one would blame me for running, for leaving the empty lot behind.

No one would blame me for not wanting to go back to the scene of all I’ve lost.

But there’s a strength He’s given me.

And there’s a strength He’s given you.

Nothing is too great, no sorrow too deep, no devastation too daunting for Him to repair.

The Lord has whispered to my heart, “I’ve strengthened your foundation, now let’s rebuild.”

No, it won’t be the same “house” it once was. No, it won’t look like it once looked or even feel like it once did.

But my life doesn’t have to remain rubble.

It can be restored.

It can be made new.

Day by day.

Piece by piece.

Brick by brick.

Dear Jesus, I ask today for the strength we need to rebuild when our lives seem to have fallen apart. I thank You that You are the God Who restores to us what was stolen. I thank You for the days that are behind, but even more for the days that are ahead. You are so very faithful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.