Dr. Jim Denison: Strongest Earthquake in a Century Rocks Mexico, Hurricanes, Floods, Wildfires….

Meanwhile, Hurricane Irma is coming. The second-strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, Irma is responsible for at least thirteen deaths so far. This morning, the National Weather Service warned that the eye of the storm could strike Miami directly. The governors of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina have all declared states of emergency.

And there’s more bad news: Hurricane Jose is strengthening and threatens islands devastated by Irma.

What can we do to help?

A week ago, I asked you to join Denison Forum in raising funds for Hurricane Harvey victims. Our ministry contributed a $25,000 matching grant to this effort. All donations would be given through Texas Baptist Men (TBM) to help those devastated by the tragedy.

When we closed the contribution link yesterday, $322,347.70 had been donated. Our ministry paid the credit card fees so that every penny you contributed would go directly to those in need. We presented your donations to TBM’s executive director yesterday.

So far, TBM personnel have dedicated 47,656 hours to relief efforts on the Gulf Coast. They have handed out 259,246 meals, distributed 1,243 Bibles and gospel tracts, and shared the gospel personally 399 times. They are currently active at twenty-four sites with chaplains, flood recovery, feeding, childcare, and other resources.

They will be serving for weeks to come, helping families rebuild their lives. For stories of their ministry at work, click here.

Thank you for responding to this crisis with such amazing generosity. I am honored to serve Jesus with you.

Now there’s more to do. With three hurricanes on the way, millions of people are in danger. Scripture calls us to “seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (1 Chronicles 16:11). Let’s begin praying for God to help those in crisis. Then let’s find ways to be the answer to our prayers.

To learn about volunteer opportunities for disaster relief through TBM, click here. To explore other volunteer opportunities, I recommend Unite the Church, an extremely effective organization that matches needs with ministry opportunities. To learn more, click here.

A Muslim who became a Christian offered this prayer: “O God, I am Mustafah the tailor, and I work at the shop of Muhammad Ali. The whole day long I sit and pull the needle and the thread through the cloth. O God, you are the needle and I am the thread. I am attached to you and I follow you. When the thread tries to slip away from the needle, it becomes tangled and must be cut so that it can be put back in the right place. O God, help me to follow you wherever you may lead me.”

Whose thread are you?