The minutes mean everything.
4:34pm
4:25am
5:03am
10:00am
Friday night.
Saturday night.
Tonight.
Friday night I anticipated amazing things. I was excited. I had great expectations. I was in awe of what God was doing with the women at Connections.
New ministry centre.
A week of finishing touches.
24 women and 24 hours with Beth Moore and a study on Loving Well.
I expected to learn a lot this weekend. I expected to grow in my love of the Lord. I expected to deepen friendships.
I wasn't disappointed. The retreat was amazing. Didn't sleep much. But we played, we prayed, we learned, we loved, we laughed, we crafted, we sang, we even danced a little.
But the real learning came hours later.
4:34pm the vaccuum was put away, walked through the building and snapped a few photos, locked the door, unlocked the door, double checked that I wasn't forgetting anything, grabbed an envelope of money I left in a drawer, relocked the door, and drove home eager to share stories of the weekend with my family.
Posted photos of the retreat on facebook.
Shared photos of the completed ministry centre.
Went to bed.
4:25am.
The phone call you never want to receive.
"This is London Police. Is this George Saylor?"
"Yes."
"Are you renting a space on Blue Heron Drive?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry to tell you that the building is engulfed in flames."
FREAK OUT.
Major freak out.
There are no other words to say than that I FREAKED OUT. (Thankful to say that only one of my three children woke up and witnessed my panic. She may be traumatized for life. Donations accepted for therapy session!)
5:03am.
Snapping a few more photos. This time the ministry centre is, as the police put it, engulfed in flame.
12 hours.
What a difference 12 hours makes.
24 hours earlier I was sleeping in that building.
Do you see what I see? God's hand was in this.
Our lives were spared.
What a difference a day makes.
10:00am
We worship.
We join our brothers and sisters in Christ and we sing with all our hearts:
Into the darkness you shine out of the ashes we rise there's no one like you none like You!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
We cried.
We prayed.
We hugged.
We sang some more.
We even danced a little.
We did ... because we believe with all our hearts that our God IS for us, He is greater, stronger, higher, healer.
What could stand against us? What?
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| They believe that this is where the fire started. A truck at one of the businesses. |
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| All that is left. Ashes. |
Minutes make all the difference.
What a difference a day makes.
But one thing didn't change - God is God. He will bring beauty from these ashes.
He will.
I once again anticipate amazing things.
Yet I am very sad.
I still have great expectations.
And I am in awe of what God is doing in our lives.
I ask you one thing. Pray.
Pray for us.
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But more importantly pray for the two other business owners. Pray for the 20 some people who lost their jobs at those businesses.
Pray for the family that owns the building. Please pray for this family. At 6pm that night the owner buried her husband after a long battle with cancer, a few months ago her daughter had a stroke and her baby died. I cannot imagine for a moment the tragedy that she is living through. Pray. Pray that we will find ways to reach out to her and her family.
I'll say it again:
Into the darkness you shine out of the ashes we rise there's no one like you none like You!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
If you want the details on the fire here is the preliminary report from the London Free Press.
8 comments:
Robin, we are praying for you and your entire community.
we're praying for yall
This is so terrible Robin. I can't imagine the loss, and yet to declare God's greatness in the midst is awesome. There is indeed no one like our God and he will redeem those ashes for his glory! We will pray for you guys and pray for the owner and her family. So thankful that you shared this and that you and the women are safe too! Love you.
This is so terrible Robin. I can't imagine the loss, and yet to declare God's greatness in the midst is awesome. There is indeed no one like our God and he will redeem those ashes for his glory! We will pray for you guys and pray for the owner and her family. So thankful that you shared this and that you and the women are safe too! Love you.
Hi Robin,
I commented on one of your pics this morning, not realizing what had happened over the weekend! I'm glad to read in your blog that you and the rest of the women were kept safe in His hands. We'll keep you and your church in our thoughts and prayers.
Greetings from Holland from Crystal (Keith and Frances' daughter)
I am in tears as I read your blog. Not only for the stuff that Connections lost (it is just stuff, right?) but for the family that owns the building. It's like getting kicked when you are already down.....I can't imagine..... and I didn't even think of those out of a job! Thanks for the reminder. I will be praying....God is mighty!
ditto to what everyone else said.
I will be praying for everyone. I have passed on this blog post to some friends here in Lenoir.
love ya robin, Amen
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