hen an EF3 tornado sliced a seven-mile path of destruction through St. Louis, Missouri on May 16, 2025, it claimed five lives, destroyed homes, businesses, houses of worship, and caused more than $1 billion in damage.

For me, the storm felt personal. My daughter’s eighth-grade graduation was held the night before in a church that was damaged by the tornado. I couldn’t help but think—what if the tornado struck one day earlier? We were spared, yet I don’t think that God spared our lives for us to simply boast in our fortune.

The day after the tornado, several church members entered the disaster zone to clear fallen trees and debris, allowing trapped residents to leave their homes. Others distributed water, food, and essential supplies. In the weeks that followed, members continued delivering items like bottled water, sanitary products, snacks, non-perishable food, wipes, and toiletries. Seeing physically challenged individuals step up to serve deeply moved me.

Another support role that our church members volunteered for was at the central warehouse. We helped unload and distribute bulk donations from major retailers such as Target, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, and Walmart. These much needed supplies were then sent to local service providers.

The greatest reward in serving is seeing the joy on the faces of those we help—a smile over a bottle of water or a pack of toiletries makes every effort worthwhile.

The amount of natural disasters is increasing rapidly. The cost of natural disasters is skyrocketing. But this tornado showed me that disasters can happen anywhere. Every person should do their part to ensure that they are ready. We recently offered an emergency preparedness workshop to help our community get ready for any future disasters. Find one where you are.

You can see God working in the disasters in a few ways. First, I count it tragic that any life is lost, but if a tornado bulldozes through seven miles of a major city and claimed no more than five people, that is a miracle. That’s God’s mercy on display. The damage was bad, but it could have been significantly worse. I believe the eyes of faith can see God’s goodness even in the middle of this disaster. Secondly, God is present through his sons and daughters. The gracious response of churches, civic organizations and people demonstrate the love of God. God wraps people in the blankets that his children give each other. God feeds the vulnerable through the food that was distributed. God continues to support us through the generous donations that are given.