As many of you know our fellow agriculturalists in Nebraska are facing a long road of recovery from disaster. Would you please consider following one of the links below to donate as you are able toward their recovery efforts? I am working on a few interviews with people on the ground, those involved in disaster relief organization, and those with experience helping people recover from disaster. However, we cannot discount God’s ability to work in ways that we cannot as such we should pray for those affected by these terrible circumstances as often as God brings them to mind.
As someone who pastors in the heart of the area affected by the Atlas blizzard I want to encourage those affected that recovery is possible. God’s grace is sufficient to see us through any difficulty we may face. I am always available to chat if you want to reach out to me through the contact page. I speak to people very regularly who experienced huge losses in that storm (some of them a majority of their running age females and that year’s calf crop). This is in no way meant to minimize the suffering and despair experienced by those in Nebraska, I simply want to reassure you that with a faith in God’s sustaining hand and His gift of family by your side you can survive any trial and hardship.
I will close with some treasured passages from the New Testament at this time.
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Hebrews 12:1-3
That is to say that Jesus has been through the difficulty of bearing our sin before His Father. He can identify with loss, difficulty, and hardship. You can turn to Him and know that he is faithful and understands what you are experiencing.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
Here Peter encourages the churches scattered by persecution to look for what God is hoping they will learn in this circumstance and to take him up on his offer to bear their burdens. God wants to carry the load for us. He is not asking us to carry it ourselves. He is giving us an opportunity to learn more of His faithful character and value as a “friend that sticks closer than a brother.” I’m sure it didn’t feel like it at the time to these 1st century refugees, but those who have leaned into God have always found Him more than worthy of any amount of trust they placed in Him.
Finally, and not because the New Testament specifically or the Bible as a whole is out of encouragement for those in dire circumstances, after all it was written to people running for their lives.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
Honestly this verse falls in the context of brothers and sisters in Christ watching each other’s backs to make sure that none of them are overtaken by sin. The principle, however, remains. When we see someone bearing a burden too heavy for them to carry on their own we should do whatever we can to help them carry their emotional, physical, financial, or spiritual load. Job’s friend started out right when they simply showed up and kept their mouths shut. It wasn’t until they tried to “help” that they incurred the wrath of God. All that to say, that if you feel like you don’t know how to help that is okay. Show up. Listen. Call. Just do something. Right, wrong, or indifferent your effort will be appreciated.
To that end below there is a preliminary list of relief efforts. Please pick one and give as you are able. If you are also able to go and help when the time is right I would encourage you to do that as well.
Grace and peace,
Clay Conry
Here are some links to different disaster relief efforts.
nefb.org/disaster
Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation Disaster Relief Exchange Portal
https://nebraskacattlemen.org/disaster-relief-fund/
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
