CA Fires

Hello to all...well this blog is coming from a bit of a somber note, but I figured I would portray the scene of the Southern California fires from a bit of a first hand account. Instead of hitting you with the bad news first, I would like to start with the bright side of the situation. The San Diego government, fire departments, police departments and residents have responded to the fires in an extremely heart warming and encouraging way. There have been many homes lost and people displaced, yet as it all unfolds, everyone has done their part to chip in and offer support in areas where they have been able. It has been encouraging to see the community come together as oppose to destruct in the time of crisis.

I would also like to mention that my immediate family and all of my friends that I have been able to keep account of have remained safe throughout the last couple of days. As most of you know who have seen the news however, many of our neighbors have not been so lucky. I'm not sure the most recent count, but many homes have been lost and unfortunately we are not in the clear as of yet. Due to the very dry weather conditions along with the Santa Ana Winds many of these situations pose potential dangers that are unpredictable. There are still some major fires burning that are threatening homes and the lives of our courageous citizens, firefighters and other local officials.

In times like this it easy to question why such things happen, but I would like to send along some Biblical encouragement for us all to keep things in perspective and perhaps find some comfort.

James 1:2-5 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

2 Cor 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

I have also included a couple of pictures from our neighborhood taken very early Monday morning prior to our neighborhood being evacuated. I am by no means a storm or disaster chaser, these are simply a couple of shots I took literally from our front yard and these do not even signify the worst of scenarios that the people of San Diego and LA have experienced in the last couple days.

I would ask you all to keep our those in the City of San Diego as well as Los Angeles and all other areas effected by these fires in your thoughts and prayers.