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This past week has been full of history making moments.  A royal wedding, deadly tornadoes, and the death of Bin Laden.  Huge history making events. Of course some events were celebrated and some left us in shock.  One of those events still leaves me in shock...the deadly tornadoes.  Though the weather has cleared out, the clean up is still going on.  The rebuilding will take months maybe longer as some of the areas were hit hard.

 I hear and see story after story of loss and devastation.  Stories of missing family members that are still being searched for (I think I last heard over 300 still missing)  Stories of homes that were destroyed and they had no insurance.  Stories of lives lost.  Stories of children loosing parents.  Stories of parents loosing children.   But I also hear stories of hope.  Stories of complete strangers reaching out to help.  Stories of survival. Stories of people seeing God's hand in all this and for the first time accepting Him as their Lord and Saviour.  And with each story I hear, tears are brought to my eyes.  Tears of sorrow, of joy, and of thankfulness.
   
Below are some recent pictures of the devastation.
(I cannot remember where I found the pictures below.  I have looked at so many)

Our county is one of those in red- the heavy damaged areas.

Look at all those tornadoes...how long some of them stayed on the ground...hundreds of miles...wow


As I looked at these pictures the song "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman came to my mind.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

Please continue to hold our community, our county, our state in your prayers.  There is so much hurting.  There is so much loss.  But through all this we have hope. Praising God through this storm that He never let go.