I awoke to more news about the devastating effects of the flood in South Carolina.  As the rain water that caused the rivers to overflow and the dams to breach in the upper part of the state now travel down to the low country, people are really concerned and are bracing for the worst!

In the mist of all of this, I hear the beautiful hymn “Trust and Obey” in my mind.

 Trust and Obey

John H. Sammis, 1887

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Words from a friend filled with anxiety and worry as she talks about the flood waters coming our way …

An email from another friend expressing her concern over her fellow South Carolinians and the devastating effects of the flood …

A desire to help our neighbors in towns surrounding us that were hit a lot harder than we were …

And so … we trust that God will not give us more than we can bear, although it feels like it to some at this point, I’m sure.  They have such damage to their homes yet the insurance companies are denying claims since we’re not in a flood zone so coverage wasn’t added to the policies.  I hope that the federal funds coming will help since Obama declared South Carolina in a state of emergency.

Trusting in God … and obeying … for we feel the need to donate monies to help with the relief efforts.

Our equestrian ministries decided this morning to donate funds to the South Carolina Awareness and Rescue For Equines, Inc.  A lot of horses had to be rescued in this, too.  (Please click here to read about one of the rescues that has taken place with the horses.) Often times when one thinks of rescues, it is of human beings, but animals were left behind in cases where it could not be helped while others tried with all of their might to get their horses out in time.  It’s a very sad situation.  Thankfully here, our horses were spared from all of the devastating effects of the flood.  While they were standing in mud up to their knees at one point before we could move them, I just thank God that it wasn’t any worse and that we had the means to move them to drier land!

Please continue to pray for South Carolina as we try to make it through the last part of the threat of flooding this weekend.  Then, keep the prayers coming as people try to rebuild their lives.

IF you would like to donate, please consider Harvest Hope Food Bank .  WISTV, a local news station out of our capital city, Columbia, South Carolina, also has suggestions on their page.  Click here to see more from WISTV.