As many of you know, the tornado that just recently ravaged the southeast caused a lot of confusion and heartbreak. It took lives, destroyed houses, and gave people a different take on life. What many of you probably don’t know, however, is that one of the men that I met with, Mike Glasgow, was a major victim of the storm.
I met with Mike on week 18, when he took me out to the Hiawassee River. You can go read about it if you want, there’s an article about it. But when the storm system moved throughout Tennessee, and the EF-4 came across Cleveland, its path took it right through Mike’s house. He was outside, getting water from the pump, when he first heard the twister. He ran inside to try and get his family into the basement. It hit about six seconds later. The house blew apart, everything they had was thrown out, and Mike and his family were thrown out as well. He, his wife, and his two daughters survived, but their three-month-old baby boy and Mike’s sister were killed.
Watching the way Mike has taken the tragedy of having two close family members die, I have honestly been amazed at his reaction. He was infinitely sad when the memorial service and things like that came up, but he seemed at peace about the whole thing, because he truly knew that God was in control of the entire thing. He still chokes up once in a while, but he is the same fatherly, compassionate, fun-loving guy that he was when we had our time together. And that is something that I admire.
When I see Mike playing with his girls or goofing off, it’s a lesson to me that no matter how bad things get, and how many attacks the devil sends your way, you can still rely on God to help you through the situation. So when I have a crisis that comes my way, instead of growing bitter and shaking my fist at God, I can remember how Mike handled his problem, relax, and know that everything is under control.
