This morning I am sitting in bed in Harrisburg, PA listening to the wind outside as it increases its intensity.  It has been raining all morning making it easy for me to sleep in on this very gloomy day.

Who knew when I came to the Allume conference for blogging women, that instead of going home on Tuesday, October 30 after a short visit with my brother, I would be huddling in the middle of frankenstorm, better known as Sandy.

It is the perfect storm of Sandy, a stage 1 hurricane that is hitting a huge wall of cold air from the west that will intensify the storm bringing snow and bad weather to the north and east of us…some of the most populated area of the United States!  And all of this, a week before the presidential elections!  This is all happening AFTER the storm will have caused devastation along the coast from Virginia to Massachusetts!

These coastal areas are having to deal with rain + flooding from storm surge that will peak at high tide tonight about 8 PM when high tide comes in.  The worst of this storm hasn’t hit yet!

How can we help?

What can you do?  In unaffected areas: PRAY  for the many people affected by this storm!  There will be a large amount of property damage over a huge area of the country!  This is going to be a difficult time coming up!  PRAY for how GOD wants you to be involved in helping out.

Is your church or denomination doing work to help in one of these areas?

• GIVE money to help.  Be careful to whom you are giving your money!  Some places with big names give very small percentages of their money to the actual cause.  Giving money to church causes that involve volunteers and tend to have lower overhead.  Another great volunteer organization is Red Cross or Salvation Army. They are especially wonderful in the actual emergency.
• JOIN a work team (that will be organized after the needs are known).  Plan to involve some or all of your family to go help out either locally or in one of the areas that needs help in the months to come.  If your children (and they often need to be a certain age…these are great for your teens!) are in school, plan for a way to spend part of your thanksgiving or Christmas break.
• PRAY!   Here are ways to pray:

1. for wisdom for leaders as they decide on organizing rescue operations, relief, etc.
2. for people who will be injured and suffering losses of all types.  That they will turn to Christ for comfort.
3. for  Christians in their communities, that they will be sensitive to neighbors and offer help, encouragement…and hope.
4. for Christians away from the area, that we will offer love, help and the physical hands of Christ!