Tornado Warnings: My Family’s Storm of Faith

I didn’t want to pass along my fears but to help my children build faith instead.

It was one of those days when you just know that something bad is going to happen. Violent weather that had already been wreaking deadly havoc across the Midwest of the United States was going to enter our region.

Long before there was any watch or warning issued by the National Weather Service, the local talk radio station activated its severe weather alert system, interrupting regular programming every 15 minutes to warn listeners that storms arriving in the afternoon would bring damaging hail, 60- to 80-mile-per-hour winds and a strong possibility of powerful and long-tracking tornadoes.

A fear I don’t want to pass on

This is the kind of weather I dread. Any time there is the possibility of tornadoes, I am convinced that one is coming for me. It is a fear I’ve had most of my life that I’m working on but haven’t completely shaken. And it’s a fear I do not want to pass on to my two young children.

In my rural Ohio home, I was glued to that radio station all day. I prayed for God’s protection for my family, my friends, other Church members and anyone in the path of these furious storms. We spent most of the day under a tornado watch. My 4-year-old daughter was with me, innocently and obliviously playing, counting and writing her ABCs. I was prepared at any moment to grab her and run for safety.

At 3:30 I picked up my son from school. When we arrived home a few minutes later, it began to rain. I quickly shepherded my children into the house, just before a loud clap of thunder. There were several loud booms, and the lights flickered. The kids played together, and I began making dinner, not straying far from the radio.

Tornado warnings

A few minutes after 4 p.m. the tornado warnings began. There was a warning for several counties just to our north and a couple of counties to our south. The thunder got a little louder, and the sky got a lot darker.

Then the distinct National Weather Service warning tones came across the radio. I immediately turned up the volume and hushed the children. Our county—the very corner of the county where we live—was given a tornado warning: “Seek shelter immediately.”

My 7-year-old son heard the warning and understood. I calmly told him that we needed to go into the bathroom for a few minutes until the warning was over. He and my daughter began quickly gathering toys, both to play with and to protect. I told him to get a flashlight, and he got two, along with a few snacks. We brought the radio, cell phone and laptop computer into the bathroom and locked the door.

Prayers for protection

My son was worked up. He was excited that something dangerous could happen and was already planning contingencies and worrying about his dad and grandparents, who were not yet home.

I told him that he need not be afraid and that we should pray. God would protect our home and all of our loved ones. I continued to encourage my children, reassure them and try to be calm myself. We listened to the ongoing weather reports on the radio. Then I saw my son get on his knees and put his face in his hands. I asked if he was okay. “Yes,” he said, “I’m just praying.”

A few minutes passed, and it was announced that all tornado warnings were canceled. The severe weather threat was over. We emerged from our bathroom and looked out the western windows to see a sunny sky and the thick mist of water already evaporating from the fields. No tornado, no damage; we hadn’t even had any hail. What a relief.

From their chatter, I knew my children understood what happened: God had answered our prayers.

Teach them diligently

One of my favorite scriptures is Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Moses spoke these words to the nation of Israel, after repeating the Ten Commandments and instructing them to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 5:6-21; 6:5).

Children begin learning about God at a very young age. They begin to form their ideas about whether God is real, fair, loving and trustworthy, and whether He cares for them personally. They begin to build—or not build—faith.

It is our responsibility as parents to use every opportunity to teach our children to have faith in God. We need to draw their attention to God’s intervention in their lives and never let those moments pass by unnoticed. It is that deeply held personal faith, built on their own experiences, that will sustain them when life gets confusing or difficult.

Thankful for the faith-building experience

I am very thankful to God that my children had this dramatic experience. They felt a little bit of fear, turned to God and had their prayers answered. They fully believe that God intervened to protect them, their loved ones and even their belongings. This was a faith-building experience that will stay with them.

By the way, I’m a little less afraid of tornadoes too.

Rachelle Metzger is a big fan of Storm Chasers on the Discovery Channel. She and her husband, Eric, and their children attend the Cincinnati/Dayton, Ohio, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.

For more about building faith, see:

• What Is Faith?
• But God Can!
• Don't Be Afraid!
• My First-Ever Tornado