#850Strong!!! #850ver it!!!

To say that the past 2 months have been a challenge would be considered an understatement if you live anywhere near us! Hurricane Michael swept through our area in 3 short hours 2 months ago today! We would never have dreamed that a 3 hour event could change our lives and our "normal" forever! The storm packed sustained winds of at least 150 miles per hour and gusts in excess of 170 miles per hour, and our church, along with many of our church people were a direct hit with the eye passing over. 

Our church building sustained major damage. The sanctuary is thankfully mostly intact (with just a broken window), but the remainder of our church will be rebuilt. In the meantime we are reduced to having all services in the sanctuary with no children's programs currently. With all that being said, we are better off than many of our friends and neighbors whose churches were completely destroyed, or who have no place on their own property to meet for worship. We are thankful for what we do have.

What have we learned?

• God is so faithful.
• We are stronger, with God's strength, than we ever dreamed we were!
• "Stuff" doesn't really matter.
• You can survive a storm with the walls falling down around you.
• We now know our neighbors.
• The Assemblies of God is a wonderful fellowship!
• There are good people who have helped us from everywhere!
• Having your car washed doesn't really matter.
• It is better to give than to receive!
• Flushing toilets and working light switches are wonderful inventions!
  
• Good things will come from all this.
• God is in control!

We will keep you posted about the rebuilding of our church so stay tuned! Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed with your time, your labor, your money, your things, your words, and most of all, your prayers! Please continue to pray for us and all of our churches and residents of Panama City!