Remnants of carved Jack-O-Lanterns hidden by a blanket of snow. Little trick or treaters tucked into their beds as folks pushed shovels to stay ahead of the storm. The blizzard of October 31, 1991 buried Minneapolis in more than 2 feet of fresh snow. It was the frosting on the cake of a year filled with joy and desperation for us.
The year started with plans for our oldest daughter’s wedding. We were living in a beautiful home, we both turned 50 and were experiencing the American dream. My husband had a thriving advertising business, but within the next few months, the economy took a nose dive and he was faced with laying off his employees.
Together we looked ahead to no job, no income, no future. The business was lost along with all retirement benefits, our home went into foreclosure, assets were frozen and we went to bankruptcy court with $11.24 in our collective pockets.
Life can come at you like that. Things are moving along beautifully and suddenly you get knocked down and buried in a blizzard of despair.
This situation could’ve ended a 27 year marriage, led to depression or meant reliance on the government for assistance, but none of that was an option.
Looking back on this bleak time, I can see that God was using it to prepare us for better things – things we hadn’t planned on – nor had we expected. We wondered where we’d live – where our income would come from and how we’d survive, but we never lost faith in the One who had our lives in His hands. It was all part of a bigger more complex plan.
God made it possible for us to do things we love and blessed us by providing a living through it. He also placed many angels in our path. Our church family was right there with us. Friends came through with support and even housing.
Going through tragedy of any kind, it’s hard to see the good in it, but if you can look back at it and say, “Oh, I get it now,” you will see God’s finger in it. He’s the light at the end of any storm.
Original art by Paul T. Boecher ©
