Journal of Joy ~ Pensacola Bay, Pensacola, Florida ~ June 2006
06.16.2006, Sunday ~ Hurricane Ivan terrifyingly stormed in September 16, 2004 ~ the devastation still blatantly lingers amidst the brave survivors of the storm. It was a surreal experience to see a fishing boat resting in a tree, cars upside down in fishing streams, houses without walls, and litter and laundry tenaciously clinging to broken vines. Shattered dilapidated foundations where houses once stood, piles of trees lodged against buildings, a mangled bicycle hanging from a fence, lingerie on a chimney, a truck turned upside down in a garden…it is endless.
We arrived at Travis and Dena's home close to midday, exactly 21 months since Ivan's unprecedented abrupt invasion. The sun was high and hot, the air thick and humid, the wind slightly refreshing coming across the bay. It is one thing to look at an empty field where a home once stood when you do not know who lived there, it is another thing to walk into the home of a friend that could only be described as a genuine Southern Belle and hear her testimony of Hurricane Ivan ravaging her family's life.
Impossible to imagine a thirty-foot wave tearing through one's home sending family heirlooms, treasured photographs and the memories of one's life across into the neighbor's yard. Impossible to imagine eight feet water filling the first floor of one's home with glass and debris scattered like birdseed carelessly thrown to the wind. Impossible to imagine the strength, the faith, the courage, the tenacity, the pioneering spirit to begin to rebuild. Those that survived hurricane Ivan are leaving a legacy to their grandchildren that will impact their families for generations.
Again, Jan and Brenda accompanied me with the blessings and favor of God going before us. We poured out the following five anointing oils:
HIS Justice! Anointing Oil
HIS 58 Covenant Blessings! Anointing Oil
HIS Holy Righteous and Pure Fire! Anointing Oil
HIS Pentecost Fire! Anointing Oil
HIS Crown and Key! Anointing Oil
My heart was in my throat and the only English word that I could find to cross my lips was the name of JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, JESUS... So, I prayed in my spiritual language more than anything other type of prayer in this place. I prayed for peace of the waters, the land and the people. That restoration would come fully. That the heartache and devastation of this hurricane would be replaced with hope, joy and delight in trusting GOD in all things, especially the things we do not have a way to understand. Looking across the bay, one could not help but notice the remnants of piers, docks and boathouses that look like tombs in the water.
As I poured out the oil, the wind came and carried the anointing oil and our prayers across the bay. I asked Dena to pour out one of the bottles of oil, to release The 58 Covenant Blessings of the MOST HIGH GOD into the waters, land and the people. Then I finished pouring out the oils at the corner posts of the land.
It is with a deep gratefulness to the intercessors of Christians United Ministries International and HGRM that I am writing this. Your prayers are more often than not the wind beneath my wings. As we were reviewing the photos at Jan's home later that evening, she wanted to delete the photo of the vehicle in the garden. I said, "Oh no, it is a parable, it is as though we were Explorers in the Garden of Gethsemane." When I first began in ministry, the LORD asked me, "Jennie, will you worship me no matter what?" As you know, the "will you worship me" is the easy part. The "no matter what?" is the challenging part. Worship is response to who GOD is not to our earthly circumstances. Some days that is easier than others.
I pray for that every person that Hurricane Ivan touched that you will be encouraged, uplifted, fortified, blessed, restored, redeemed, recompensed and renewed according to the mercy, grace and favor of the LORD JESUS CHRIST! May the angels of the LORD come and strengthen you as you move forward in faith and tenacity.
