Conquering 20 Foot Snow Drifts!

After yesterday’s podcast on the Blizzard of 2021 and my adventure picking up my daughter as my dear wife prayed, my mom reminded me of the Blizzard of 1978. It starting while I was in class at Van Rensselaer Elementary. It hit so fast busses couldn’t run, and my dad had to come in to town to pick me up. I remember the harrowing trip home, I didn’t think there was any way we wouldn’t get swallowed by snow.

Now '78 was a true blizzard. It hit hard and fast on January 25th, 1978.

There were 20-foot snow drifts, 50 mph wind gusts and temperatures that plummeted from 36 degrees to zero overnight. The National Weather Service says the epic snowstorm had little equal in the climatological record for Indiana. I can remember a snow drift making it to the roof of our house. My brothers and I scaled it to see the view from the roof, and we dug snow forts in the drifts that you could stand in.

More than 70 people lost their lives across the region because of the storm, including five souls in Kentucky, 11 in Indiana and 51 in Ohio.

The roads were so bad, the National Guard used 14-ton armored personal carriers to rescue stranded drivers and get food to people.

Earlier in the day before mom had reminded me of this, I had written down a Bible verse I wanted to share, and then she texted me and it was even more poignant.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

You will suffer, it is inescapable. So how do we respond? By being courageous! And what allows us to be courageous? Faith in the God who has conquered the world, and investing in those things that rise up to help us when we suffer – family, friends, and community.