Strength of spirit

Find out what helped me get through a challenging stretch of days.

Recently, within an eight-day period of time, I communicated with the public on a variety of challenging topics. In today’s newsletter, I relay what helped me through an emotional rollercoaster of a week.

The public communications spree began when three unoccupied houses collapsed on the beach over a short span of four days in Rodanthe, North Carolina. Between the second and third house collapses, medical waste, potentially thrown overboard by a distant vessel, began washing up onto area beaches. Then, on Saturday, Sept. 28, a single-engine airplane crashed in the woods at Wright Brothers National Memorial, killing four adults and a six-year-old child. A few days after the crash, I reluctantly released the names of the adults on board the airplane—receiving info provided by their families was, by far, the hardest part of the eight-day period for me.

In an effort to help those facing challenges (we will all face difficult times throughout life), I’d like to pass along what helped me during a stressful period. The following list is not in any particular order.

Perspective

The tragic loss of life and devastation in Western North Carolina—and elsewhere—as a result of Hurricane Helene helped me understand that things could be much worse. While the Outer Banks community was not spared from tragedy, the community was spared from any significant impacts from Helene.

Faith Quotes

Whenever I read something that I know will help me in the future, I copy and paste, or manually type, it into my phone to carry with me. I read the following during and after recent events:

“God is the only one that can truly fill the void we experience during stressful moments in our lives. God is there to walk us through disappointments, failures, and regrets.”

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” —Philippians 4:13

“Lean on God’s Word and His strength to help you rein in stress and repair emotional wounds.”

“Hard times require something more than willpower. During hard times, we must ask Jesus for the strength to survive the storm.”

“Mental resilience is built by intentionally, consciously saying positive things—God is with me. I am secure. Christ lives within me. I have the strength that prevails.”

Prayer

In addition to having a pastor reach out and pray with me (thank you, Nathanael and Nags Head Church!), I read the following prayer borrowed from Wild at Heart Ministries:

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit—God of all creation, God of the thunderstorm and the waterfall, I need your strength, I need the strength that prevails. I don’t want to fall away; I don’t want to lose heart. I choose you above all things. I give you my allegiance and my undivided love. I choose single heartedness toward you, Lord Jesus—body, soul, and spirit; heart, mind, and will. I pray for a supernatural resilience, God. Fill me with your overcoming strength, a victorious strength. Father, Lord of heaven and earth, strengthen me. I pray for strength of mind, strength of heart, strength of will. Fill me with resilience. By faith I receive it and thank you for it.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I’m happy to report that I have enjoyed a soul restoring three-day weekend. Thank you for reading.

—Mike