November 13, 2013: My Personal Journal Entry: Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, today Travis and I followed You to Staten Island, New York. It was still dark outside when I kissed my husband as he left our hotel room. “Off to work,” he said, as he left for his temporary work job site. A cold frosty air filled our hotel room while I held the door ajar and waved goodbye.

Then, I closed the door and turned up the heat in our hotel room. I hopped back in bed. With a dim light, I began to spend some quiet time reading Your Word.

A few hours later, Travis opened his little eyes. Not before long, he was filled with energy and excitement to devour a warm waffle breakfast. A scent of bacon and waffles filled the air of the entire first floor. My stomach began to rumble. While I placed my Bible on a small Barista-style table, Travis ran into the dining room area and straight over to the waffle maker. Then, while waiting in a short line for a cup of coffee, I struck up a conversation with two women who also happened to Christians. I smiled when one said something encouraging that only You would have known to say.

After a delightful freshly-cooked free meal, Travis and I began our drive to the main purpose of our trip. Even though I usually get lost driving around familiar areas, not once did we lose our way. Once on Staten Island, we stopped at the Visitors Center to receive directions to the area hit the hardest by Hurricane Sandy. We became instant friends with one particular employee who bundled up Travis in layers of warm sweatshirts and jackets. “It’s colder than you think out there with the wind-chill factor.” She said as she handed me a handful of jelly belly candy. She told me just where to park my car and gave me a huge hug before sending us on our way. 

I must say, LORD, seeing the upside down boats still abandoned in bushes and trees along with the boarded-up vacant buildings, caught me off guard. Not much progress seems to have been made this past year. “Where are these people living?” I began to wonder as we drove to the beach area. Suddenly, I remembered the night I got saved. My heart started to beat a little faster as I prepared a special message for each of the storm victims. “Don’t lose hope! God’s with you.”

Hurricane Sandy Destroyed Homes

We went from door to door, placing a keychain and candy cane on the doors that went unanswered. From the first person we met, I knew right away that You had placed us there to extend Your compassion. He was a middle-aged man, perhaps a little older than me, who called out to Travis from his car. “You lost?” He said as we began to cross the street. “No, I replied. We’re are here to see you.” The stranger looked at me perplexed as I approached his vehicle. The streets all around us were uninhibited, offering us all the time in the world to have a heart to heart conversation. I cried as the man described how he tried to outrun the wall of the ocean that suddenly and very dangerously filled the streets behind him. “I thought I was going to die.” He said. I choked backed tears as I softly responded. “But, you lived. God was with you. And, He is with you now. That's what we came all the way from California to tell you. You are going to get through this.” I said. Then, I handed the man a homemade keychain. Then, Travis handed the man a candy cane and said in his sweetest little voice, “Merry Christmas sir.”

For the next few hours, You used my young son and me in two completely different ways. I wiped away tears with tissues and shared my testimony, while Travis, impatiently and innocently repeated the same question. “Candy cane?” he asked as held out his little red gloved hand decorated by dangling candy canes. 

We met a young Russian Catholic man with bleached blonde hair who ran a pet shop. We also met a woman in her early 30s with long black curly hair and a very thick New York accent. She screamed with amusement when we shared that we had come from California to offer her a hug for Christmas. And, we met several sweet little Jewish children in a Jewish daycare who looked at us with astonishment and wonder.  Finally, we met a man who lived in his crumbling home. “Stormy” as I think he was called, had turned to alcohol numb the pain. Through the smell of liquor on his breath, Stormy shared how he had remained in his top story attic while rising waters threatened his life.

Somehow, Jesus, You used Travis and me to reassure each broken heart that they were not alone. Over the course of several hours, we watched as many tears of sadness were replaced with joyful smiles. It was another good day LORD!