FAIRHOPE — The June 1 Gay Pride event was canceled due to an act of God.
For the third consecutive year, the Color Fairhope with Pride Event was supposed to be held at Henry George Park and the Fairhope Pier Beach Pavilion. In preparation, Christians and like-minded community members committed to walking the location for the entire month of May while praying.
My husband and I specifically prayed for God to bless the soil and the people that would be on it during the event, to make His presence known, and to enlighten anyone attending the Gay Pride event. We also prayed for protecting children's innocence and for God's light to shine in and through them. We prayed humbly, knowing God's will is ultimately the only thing that will be done.
Additionally, the pastor of First Fairhope Baptist Church spent the month of May preaching about boundaries and why God has put them there for us to obey. The series ended with the showing of the movie "In His Image," a beautiful film breathing truth to God's law created with grace and love vs. Satan's lies and schemes to destroy all that is good and worthy.
I woke up early June 1 to be in Mobile by 8 a.m. I left the house at 6:50 a.m., and within two minutes, I was near the Color Fairhope with Pride Event sites. It had been a stormy night with thunder, lightning and rain. No tree branches or debris lay in my neighborhood, but driving down Mobile St. towards the Fairhope Pier, I noticed it was raining pretty hard, so I cautiously approached the stop sign.
Looking left toward the Pier, I noticed destruction; looking straight toward Henry George Park (Bluff), I noticed flooding. As I drove down the hill, I found a huge tree branch covering the opposite side of the street, tangled with a large lamp post on the ground and a crushed street sign. Police vehicles and city workers were assessing the damage. Porta potties rented for the Pride event were overturned and damaged, rendered unusable.
With debris everywhere and the rain pounding my car, my eyes widened. "No, could it be?" I asked inwardly. The Color Fairhope with Pride banner lay on the ground, ripped from the pole it hung on. It looked like a tornado had struck, and indeed, later reports showed one had.
"God's not playing anymore, there is no pride in this," I thought to myself. Turning around, I started back up the hill, driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid the huge branch blocking most of the street.
Reaching the top of the hill, I decided to backtrack, as I wanted to look at the park across the street from the Bluff, where The Faith Family Freedom Festival was scheduled to take place at the same time, providing families with an alternative to the Gay Pride event. I couldn't believe my eyes. The area was virtually untouched. Heading to Mobile gave the same picture: no damage anywhere else. There was no rain when I got to Daphne, it was partly cloudy and pleasant, the causeway was clear and not wet. I spoke to several of my Fairhope friends, who reported rain but no damage.
God showed up. Prayers were answered. Right here, for all to see.
God is here, protecting our children and showing everyone that HIS will be done.
Children cannot be born in the wrong body, there is redemption and grace offered to all who seek Jesus, and there are many pastors and church members praying for those who have found themselves lost, in pain, confused and alone. They are here to support all.
Do not believe that Christians are hateful. It is a lie. We are all sinners and in need of redemption and forgiveness. The church is a place for all sinners and sufferers to come together, hear the truth of God's word, and provide support and strength to live a GODLY life.
We need each other! This is not a burning bush to dismiss. In my lifetime, I have never witnessed anything so obvious. He showed up for us. Will you show up for him?
"The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace." – Psalm 29:3-11
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