Mindy Lee Hopman

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19a NASB).

I apologize for just releasing this post that has sat in my draft folder for two weeks. It’s been a little busy around here. Debris still lines our streets as a result of Hurricane Matthew, and it will for a long while, but our hearts are full of gratitude as we enter into this season of Thanksgiving.

The mandatory evacuation caused us to spend a week away from our home. I am grateful for my in-laws who provided a place for my daughter and I to stay, while my husband and son traveled to a safe place with the boarding students. We kept our eyes glued to the television channel to watch the news and weather channel. We hoped. We prayed. We wondered.

After the storm, before we even knew if our home was okay, our church family connected on Facebook as our pastor led a live service complete with worship – while we lived displaced up and down the East coast.

When it was time, we returned to our boarded up home with a car packed with groceries, water, pets and anticipation.

This perfect sign with the wave painted across the bottom greeted us.

But nothing prepared us for what we saw once we crossed the bridge.

Sawdust pine-tree confetti covered the streets and welcomed us. Pine trees picked up and dropped like toothpicks covered the roads at one point. The first responders worked hard around the clock to get residents back into their neighborhoods. We are grateful.

The smell of Christmas filled the air, but our sweet island town looked like the remnants of a war zone.

Trees fell on and beside houses and businesses; water drains backed up and caused flooding from a crazy amount of rain; strong winds and tornadoes snapped trees and moved everything around, and boats were found in the oddest places.

Samaritans Purse and The American Red Cross brought people from around the country to serve our area in the time of need. We are grateful.

Hurricane Matthew hit hard and broke our town to pieces, however the devastation brought a sense of oneness within the hearts of the people. Debris clean-up brought friends and neighbors outside of their four walls.

In the brokenness we found community.

We helped each other. We cried together. We laughed together. We ate together. We prayed together. We served each other. We loved each other.

Everything stopped, including releasing a newly published book, when the eye of the storm traveled across our island.

Change is certain. Christ is Constant. Beautiful Legacy

So we fix our eyes on the author and perfector of our faith… and continue to let Him write our story as the restoration continues.

Hurricane Matthew is a part of our story and beyond the storm our hope continues. Hope is an anchor for the soul before, during, and beyond the storm.

If your eyes are on the storm
You’ll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You’ll know I always have and I always will
~ Just be Held, Casting Crowns

May hope be the anchor for your soul today and always.
Many Blessings,