Hurricane Force Winds - My personal experience with Hurricane Irma

(Our Neighbor's Uprooted Tree, Roots reach 15ft High)

It seems that the summer of 2017 has been a very destructive one. I’m not going to begin to say I know what the people feel like that lost everything from these storms. All I can do is tell you my own personal experience during hurricane Irma. We really didn’t know exactly where the storm was going for a week or so, but all I can say is, I prayed for God’s protection the whole week so when we saw the tract move from the east coast to the west coast we knew it would be very bad for us. I live in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, and eventually this is right where the storm was to make a direct hit / landfall. I continued to pray and that is when we saw the track of the storm move inland east of us. We, me and my elderly mother were thanking God we didn’t get a direct hit.

We still weren’t out of reach of the damaging winds, so we continued to pray for protection for not only us but our neighbors as well. The winds pounded us all day and night. I walked the house telling God and thanking Him for keeping us safe. The lights would flicker off and I would ask God to not let the electric power go off and this happened all day and night and we never lost our electric power and neither did any of our neighbors. 

The only thing the wind took down was our neighbors Ficus tree and some fencing. It was a complete miracle because I watched as the winds just battered that tree and I would ask God if it has to fall let it not hit anyone’s house or car. That tree stood 50 feet high and was at least 40 feet wide. Because of the direction the wind was blowing it fell straight south missing all the houses and cars, but especially the roots missed turning over a car park 5 feet away from where they came up out of the ground.

(Top Branches of Tree Completely Covered Across Our Road)

Even though the wind gusts hit about 65-85 mile per hr. We really didn’t hear all the noise from outside it was peaceful in our home. As if the storm wasn’t as bad as it really was. Whatever the kinds of winds may come we can pray for God to calm them the same way Jesus did when He calmed the wind and waves.

They might be straight line winds, hurricane force winds or tornado winds; no matter the kind they can destroy everything. I can’t explain why some people have all their property destroyed, it could have been mine just as easily, but I believe God heard and answered my plea for help and protection. He answered my prayers.

I still pray for all those who were affected by all the hurricanes and storms this summer. I know people put on a brave face and say, “It’s only things”. But I see their eyes and they tell a different story. It is their life long belongings and some cannot be replaced. So I will say again I pray for them to recover quickly what was taken from them and the memories and hurt will fade.

I will never forget September 2017 when Irma was supposed to hit my city directly but God moved it east and protected my house, my family in their houses, and my neighbor’s houses. I want to say one last thing about these types of storms, they happened before the weather people knew how to track and record them. By reading the Bible you can see these type of winds happened long before. I believe there is so much more that could have been destroyed when they hit. Thousands of years ago there weren’t all the buildings, cars, bridges, and roads we have now.  It’s a different time now, more can be destroyed. So when the winds come again, and they will, trust God and pray that He protects you from harm. He did it for us more than once, so I know He can do it for you.

(After the City Cut and Bulldozed the Branches Off The Road)

Peanut, Our Youngest Survivor

I Kings 18:45 (NKJV)
[45] Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

Psalm 55:8 (NKJV)

[8] I would hasten my escape

From the windy storm and tempest.” (a violent windy storm)

Ezekiel 13:11 (NKJV)

[11] say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down.

Jonah 1:4 (NKJV)

[4] But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest (a violent windy storm) on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.

Matthew 7:26-27 (NKJV)

[26] But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
[27] And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Mark 4:37 (NKJV)

[37] And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

Acts 27:4 (NKJV)
[4] When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

Acts 27:13-21(NKJV)

[13] When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.
[14] But not long after, a tempestuous (a violent windy storm) head wind arose, called Euroclydon.
[15] So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.
[16] And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty.
[17] When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.
[18] And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship.
[19] On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.