The mountains tremble and the earth shakes...

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Psalm 46:2-3

Dear friends,

Whew! What a week it has been. The question that has been asked the latter part of the week is, “where were you when the earthquake struck?” Living in a city like Washington, DC, you meet people from all over the world. My guess is there were plenty of folks from the West Coast and other parts of the world who had experienced earthquakes, but for many of us, it was a first. It leaves you trembling a bit…and thinking. Now, here were are sandwiched between two incredible forces of nature, an earthquake and a hurricane. One is very unpredictable, the other much more predictable. How often is the DC area rattled by and earthquake and then battered by a hurricane within the span of five days? It’s an incredible thing to reflect on as we think about the power of creation. If you recall, after God brought forth life from chaos, God rested. I think after the earthquake, a little rest would be in order.

We are in the midst of our Sabbath series, but it may be hard to think about rest as we prepare for possible tropical storm weather conditions. I pray that we all may find moments of time and sacred spaces where we can reflect on the wonder of creation while inviting the Holy Spirit to restore our bodies, souls and minds. Please be mindful of the weather conditions and be prepared. As we say in the South…we will see you on Sunday..”God willing and the creek don’t rise!” Let us not to forget to pray for and to help those most vulnerable in natural disasters.

Joy and Peace,

Jimmy