Grief and Gratitude

Hello friends,

We had our October blog all set to publish, focused on finishing the year strong as we entered the final 90 days of 2024. Then, Hurricane Helene hit the Southeast, and suddenly, everything changed.

The last 90 days of the year became something entirely different for so many of our family, friends, and clients. Instead of pushing forward to reach our goals, we’ve shifted to simply surviving and taking care of the people we love.

And today, we are watching the track of Hurricane Milton as it heads toward Florida.

Grief and gratitude—that’s what it comes down to.

As someone who grew up in Asheville, NC, this disaster hits home. I was raised by people with a deep faith in God, always ready to help, never judging by what you had, but by who you were. The only thing that mattered was kindness, truth, and fairness.

These are my people. For generations, they’ve called the breathtaking mountains of Western North Carolina home, and now so many of them have been devastated by Helene.

Right now, neighbors are stepping up to help neighbors. Volunteers from all over the country are arriving in Asheville and the surrounding areas. They’re clearing debris, cutting through trees, and doing everything they can to reach those in need. They’re finding people who didn’t make it, and others who are in desperate need of food, water, and medical care.

It’s not easy work. These rescue and recovery efforts take grit—cutting through wreckage, navigating washed-out roads, landing helicopters in fields and pastures to get help to the most remote places.

As this unfolds on the news and social media, we are grieving—grieving for the people we know, the homes we’ve loved, and the memories tied to places now lost to floodwaters.

My family, friends, and clients are alive, and for that, I’m incredibly thankful. But many of them have lost everything. It’s a strange feeling—to be so grateful yet heartbroken at the same time.

I’m grieving for my hometown, knowing it’ll never quite be the same. It reminds me of when my childhood home burned down. My parents had already moved, but the loss of that house still felt like losing a piece of my past. That’s how it feels for Asheville now—so many places tied to cherished memories are gone.

For days, I couldn’t bring myself to write this blog. The devastation started to feel real as we struggled to reach family members. With no power, water, or cell service, all we could do was wait and hope they were okay, fearing the worst.

And through it all, waves of emotions come—grief and gratitude.

We grieve for the lives lost, for pets, homes, communities, businesses, memories, and all the things we thought we could always rely on.?

But at the same time, we hold onto gratitude. Gratitude for the safety of loved ones, for the beauty of a sunset after the storm, and for simple things like clean water, electricity, and a hot shower. And most of all, gratitude for the people risking their lives to help others in this time of need.

Rebuilding will come in time, but right now, I’m asking you to join me in letting the emotions come as they will—both the grief and the gratitude.

I’m praying for those who are still waiting to be rescued, asking God to renew their strength and hope.

I’m praying for the volunteers, linemen, and rescue workers who are tirelessly working around the clock, hoping they know how much of a difference they’re making.

Here’s how we’re choosing to serve right now:

1. We’re bringing back our?POP (Peace on Purpose)?sessions soon. We started these sessions during the pandemic in 2020, and we want to offer them again to help build resilience during this challenging time. If you could use a little peace in the middle of this storm click here.
2. If you’d like to donate or volunteer to support the communities in Western North Carolina, here are a few trusted organizations:

• Samaritan’s Purse
• Hearts with Hands
• Mountain Pet Rescue AVL

I’m praying for all those in Florida who are in the path of Hurricane Milton and for all of the people willing to step up and be God’s hands and feet during this unimaginable time.

May God bless and protect you.

Cindy

“I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love.?

I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens.?

There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love.?

There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!”

–Romans 8:38-39 TPT