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Centreville Community Church

“IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP”

JULY 17, 2025

DEE BELT

I MUST FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRAYERS, AND DEEPEST CONDOLENCES FOR THE BEREAVED FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES IN TEXAS, DUE TO THE JULY 4TH STORMS AND MASSIVE FLOODING.  AS A MOTHER, MYSELF, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DEPTH OF THE HEARTBREAK OF THOSE PARENTS WHO LOST THEIR LITTLE GIRLS WHILE THEY WERE AWAY AT SUMMER CAMP.  FOR SO MANY FAMILIES, LIFE AS THEY ONCE KNEW IT, WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. THIS IS INDEED A TIME OF HARDSHIP, AND OUR FERVANT PRAYERS WILL COVER THEM.

MANY YEARS AGO, IN MY HOMETOWN; A LOW-LYING, TIDE WATER AREA ON A PENINSULA IN SOUTHERN, MARYLAND, A VERY POWERFUL AND LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE STRUCK THE BAHAMAS, AND THEN THE U.S. 

 EAST COAST.  IT WAS SEPTEMBER 1999.  HURRICANE FLOYD.  AT THE TIME, I  WAS LIVING ALONE, AS A NEW “EMPTY-NESTER”, WHEN MY YOUNGEST WAS OF LEGAL AGE TO MOVE OUT AND GO SEE THE WORLD. THE HORRIBLE STORM BROUGHT HIGH WINDS, TORRENTIAL RAIN, AND FLOODING.  MANY WERE ADVISED TO TEMPORARILY RELOCATE UNTIL THE CRISIS WAS OVER, BUT LIKE MANY OTHERS, HAD NO PLACE TO GO, BECAUSE NEARBY FAMILY MEMBERS WERE IN THE SAME BOAT, AND JUST HUNKERED DOWN, IN THEIR OWN DOMAIN, FOR THE DURATION OF THE CRISIS.  

THE CRISIS WAS VERY DIFFICULT.  THANKFULLY MY APARTMENT WAS ON THE SECOND FLOOR, SO THE FLOODING DIDN’T REACH THAT LEVEL, BUT I WAS ALL ALONE WITH NO ELECTRICITY, NO PHONE SERVICE, NO FOOD, AND NO WATER.  IT WAS A NIGHTMARE, BEING SHUT OFF FROM THE WORLD INDEFINITELY.  THE DAYS WERE SPENT QUIETLY WRITING, AND READING BOOKS.  THE NIGHTS WERE A BIT MORE CHALLENGING.  IT WAS PITCH BLACK DARK INSIDE OF THE APARTMENT, AND WHEN I OPENED THE FRONT DOOR, I WAS MET WITH THE SAME DARKNESS.  I HAD A SNIPPIT OF A CANDLE, AND LIT IT, TO READ MY BIBLE.  UNSURE OF WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, I FLIPPED THROUGH THE PAGES AND FOUND (PSALM 121)

“I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS, FROM WHENCE COMETH MY HELP.  MY HELP COMETH FROM THE LORD WHICH MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.  HE WILL NOT SUFFER THY FOOT TO BE MOVED.  HE THAT KEEPETH THEE WILL NOT SLUMBER.  BEHOLD, HE THAT KEEPETH ISRAEL SHALL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP.  THE LORD IS THY KEEPER: THE LORD IS THY SHADE UPON THY RIGHT HAND.

THE SUN SHALL NOT SMITE THEE BY DAY, NOR THE MOON BY NIGHT.  THE LORD SHALL PRESERVE THEE FROM ALL EVIL:  HE SHALL PRESERVE THEE FROM ALL EVIL:  HE SHALL PRESERVE THY SOUL.  THE LORD SHALL PRESERVE THY GOING OUT AND THY COMING IN FROM THIS TIME FORTH, AND EVEN FOR EVERMORE”.

I READ THAT SCRIPTURE AGAIN, AND AGAIN, I FELT LIKE THE LORD WAS SPEAKING TO ME DIRECTLY, AND I FELT HIS COMFORTING PRESENCE SURROUND ME IN THE ROOM. THE ONLY LIGHT WAS THAT DIM CANDLE, AND IN THAT MOMENT, I FELT SUCH CALM IN THE MIDST OF MY SITUATION, AND I BEGAN TO FEEL BETTER, AND MUCH LESS AFRAID.  THE ANXIETY LEFT ME.  I WAS OK.  I KNEW I WAS NOT ALONE, BECAUSE JESUS WAS RIGHT THERE WITH ME. THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS TEACHING ME HOW THE LORD WILL MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE, ON ANY LEVEL, IN ANY LOCATION, IN THE HARD TIMES, IN THE WORST OF CIRCUMSTANCES.  IF YOU’RE STUCK IN A WELL, THE LORD DOESN’T ALWAYS PULL YOU OUT.  SOMETIMES HE WILL COME DOWN INTO THE WELL, WHERE YOU ARE, AND JUST LIFT YOU UP AND OUT OF THE WELL.

AS TIME PASSED, I FELT SO CLOSE TO THE LORD, THAT I WAS NO LONGER FOCUSED ON MY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I BEGAN TO HAVE THIS FEELING THAT THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE FROM THIS CRISIS, WAS VERY NEAR.  I TALKED TO THE LORD AND SHARED MY THOUGHTS WITH HIM.  NIGHT TIME HAD COME AND MY CANDLE GREW EVEN DIMMER, AND IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE WORDS OF PSALM 121, YET I STILL FELT THE CALMING PRESENCE OF THE LORD.  I WALKED TO THE FRONT DOOR, AND WALKED OUT ON THE DECK.  THIS TIME, I WASN’T MET WITH PITCH BLACK DARKNESS.  INSTEAD, I  WAS MET WITH A GORGEOUS NIGHT SKY, PEPPERED WITH SPARKLING SHINING STARS.  I STOOD THERE, TRANSFIXED BY ITS BEAUTY, AND ONCE AGAIN I FELT THAT STRONG INTUITION THAT THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE FROM THIS CRISIS, WAS NEAR.  I LOOKED UP TOWARDS HEAVEN, AND SAID “LORD, PERHAPS IT’S JUST WISHFUL THINKING ON MY PART, BUT IF IT’S NOT,  PLEASE GIVE ME A SIGN”,  I CONTINUED STARING AT THE GREAT EXPANSE OF THE NIGHT SKY.  SUDDENLY, THE SIGN APPEARED.  THERE IT WAS; THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SHOOTING STAR SHOT ACROSS THE SKY.  THAT WAS IT.  THAT WAS MY SIGN.  I TOOK A FEW MORE INHALATIONS OF THE AIR, THEN WENT INSIDE FOR THE NIGHT. “THANK YOU, LORD”, I WHISPERED.  I SLEPT PEACEFULLY THAT NIGHT.  THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE ELECTRICITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD BEEN RESTORED.  I WAS SO OVERJOYED, AND YET… I HAD ENJOYED THE CLOSENESS THE LORD AND I HAD DEVELOPED DURING THIS CRISIS, I FELT THIS NAGGING  FEELING, NOT WANTING TO GIVE THAT UP, BY THINGS STARTING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL, AS THE CRISIS WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF BEING OVER.

HARDSHIPS ARE A PART OF LIFE.  THEY COME AND GO.  THE IMPORTANT THING IS HOW YOU COPE WITH THE HARDSHIPS; HOW YOU ALLOW GOD TO USE YOU DURING THE HARDSHIPS, AND THE LESSONS YOU LEARN FROM GOD DURING THE HARDSHIPS.  IT’S A TIME WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT OTHERS.  IT’S A TIME WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF.  ABOVE ALL, IT’S A TIME WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT GOD, AND WHO HE IS.

WHEN YOU ARE DOWN-TRODDEN BY HARDSHIPS, KEEP YOUR MIND STAYED ON THE LORD, AND TRY NOT TO GIVE IN TO FEAR.  TRUST GOD IMPLICITLY.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO TRAGEDY, REMEMBER THE LORD SAID IN HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNT:  “BLESSED ARE THEY WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED.”  THIS IS A PROMISE MADE FOR ALL WHO ARE IN THE STATE OF BEREAVEMENT.

WHEN IT IS ALL SAID AND DONE, WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT DESPITE THE TRAGEDIES, AND/OR HARDSHIPS WE ALL MUST ENDURE FROM TIME TO TIME,

EARTH IS ONLY OUR TEMPORARY HOME.  THIS IS NOT OUR HOME.  WE MUST FOCUS ON OUR TREASURES ON HIGH, AND NOT DOWN HERE ON EARTH.  HEAVEN IS A PREPARED PLACE FOR A PREPARED PEOPLE.  THE END ALL AND BE ALL, IS FOCUSING ON BEING FULLY PREPARED FOR THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT CHRIST HAS PREPARED FOR HIS CHILDREN.

(JOHN:14)

“LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. YOU BELIEVE IN GOD. BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.  IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS.  IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, AND IF I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM, THERE, YOU MAY BE ALSO”.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

    © 2019 Centreville Church of God, 101 Gray Fox Lane, Centreville, MD 21617

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