10/14/2026
Rooted to Rise Again, Lessons from a Palm Tree
There is something remarkable about a palm tree. When the winds howl and the storm rolls in, its trunk bends, its fronds whip, and it seems to surrender to the very forces threatening to bring it down. Yet, when the storm passes, the palm tree often rises again, still rooted, still standing, still reaching toward the sky.
As we approached Pensacola after Hurricane Isaias, we began scanning the sides of the road for damage. Having served on mission teams in the Caribbean, we have seen how hurricane winds can decimate the landscape and ravage dwellings and businesses.
Some areas were hit harder than others. We saw twisted metal, roofs blown off, shattered windows, large oaks ripped from the ground, and building debris piling up for removal. What surprised us were the 4ft. banks of vegetation piled on both sides of residential roads, like snow after a plow pushed through the neighborhood. Neatly placed against the curbs, neighbors began dragging debris from their yards and setting it out for the city to remove. Fences were propped up, generators hummed, and life moved on. Restaurants opened, linemen assembled in parking lots waiting for their next assignment, neighbors helped one another, and the task was done (well, almost). A testament to the fact that Gulf Coast residents have weathered these storms before.
Municipalities are working tirelessly to restore power, ensure safe water quality, remove trees blocking roads and hindering travel, and clear piles of debris from every neighborhood street. Some losses will take longer to recover from. Lives were lost, homes were destroyed, belongings were damaged. We are reminded that life is fleeting and fragile.
Today I am reminded that resilience is about more than surviving the storm. It is about what happens after the storm. I see neighbors who typically move from their homes to their cars and back after a day at work now working together. They show up with helping hands, share what they have, clear debris, rebuild what was lost, and encourage neighbors to start again. Storms may sweep away possessions, damage homes, and change the landscape, but they cannot easily destroy the strength of a community determined to rise together.
In Galatians 6:2, Paul writes, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” We were created for connection, and when storms come, we often remember that. We need one another, not only when the skies are clear, but especially when life leaves us picking up the pieces.
The palm tree reminds us to stay rooted in the storms and recover when the rains stop. Community reminds us that resilience isn't simply the ability to stand on our own; sometimes it is the grace to lean on and encourage one another.
We may not choose the storms that come, but we can choose how we stand together in them.
So, may we be like the palm tree, deeply rooted, willing to bend, and resilient enough to rise again. And may we be the kind of neighbors who help one another rebuild, reminding those around us that even after loss, there is hope; even after devastation, there is new life; and even after the fiercest storm, we do not have to begin again alone.
Continued prayers for the Gulf Coast communities. They are a strong and resilient community that has learned many lessons from recovering after the storms.
