Storms come in many forms. The devastation and havoc of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are still evident along the coast of the Mississippi gulf and the town of New Orleans. Just last week, while attending a meeting hosted by the Bishop's Task Force for Katrina relief, I witnessed that the reconstruction of the city and the coastline is slowly occurring, but lives are still effected daily by the incredible loss of homes, industry, hospitals, stores and infrastructure.

One way that God has been at work in the aftermath of that storm is through the United Methodist Church. Through UMCOR, our church's global relief team, nearly 70 million dollars has been raised to assist alleviating humanitarian needs. Thousands of Methodist volunteers and millions of dollars have also been raised to help rebuild churches and strengthen the ministries and staffs of local congregations on the coast. God is at work overcoming storms.

However, I was struck by one storm that is still brewing. For years, the Seashore Mission of the UMC has been meeting the needs of the homeless in the Biloxi and Gulfport area of Mississippi until it was totally swept away in the wave surge and wind of Katrina. Now, as the church endeavors to restore that ministry to the hundreds of homeless in the area, the city governments are becoming an obstacle. It seems that the authorities are pleased to welcome gambling casinos to their cities but not a ministry that reaches out to the poor, needy and destitute with the love of Christ.

As I listened to the report of the struggle to rebuild Seashore Mission, I remembered a story in the pages of the New Testament. Jesus calmed the storm one night on the Sea of Galilee as his disciples trembled in fear and uncertainty, afraid that the storm might prevail and that they might perish. God has a habit of calming storms. Is there something brewing in your heart or life that needs the calming touch of a loving God?