Touchdown

Written by Rev. Dcn. Donna Purkis - Bob Rumball Home for the Deaf - Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Words are containers of power. Hindsight is a wonderful gift from God! Prayer is powerful. All three of these statements came to pass earlier this month, not in any particular order.

Each morning as I thank God for the opportunity to serve Him, I pray from Proverbs 3:5-6…"Trust the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." I follow it up with…Lord, I have an expectation that you will work in me and through me to the glory of Your name. May Your Holy Spirit show up and show out!

Two weeks ago today, about 3:35 p.m. our Emergency Alert was activated on all our cell phones. There was a tornado in the general area. Of course, emergency measures were put in place to protect the residents…away from all windows and placed in the hallways.

During the next 45 minutes, the priority of all front-line staff and administration were to keep the residents safe. The residents under my care just wanted prayer. I was working on the Deaf side and thankfully God paired me up with a strong signer!

After the fact, we saw the video of the tornado which had touched down at the edge of our property and the devastation one street over. Only by the grace of God was our Home spared (see photo above). Corporate prayers of thanksgiving followed. Eight people were sent to hospital and not one person was fatally injured. Praise the Lord!

These two verses from Psalm 27 have now taken on a whole new meaning for me.
Vs. 1 “The Lord is my Light and my Salvation – whom shall I fear or dread. The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life.”
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Vs. 14 – “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord…be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”