Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
"Be strong and of a good courage..." Joshua 1:6
This past weekend I watched a documentary covering the time period from the stock market crash through the 1930's. It was interesting as it incorporated actual news reels of the day. Updated, much of it was the same subject material of today. One of the reasons the stock market suffered was due to greed and people buying on margin. However it survived and is still in existence today.
During the 1930's our part of the country was in the midst of a severe drought, even worse than what we are experiencing today. A friend of mine described how her mother soaked rags in water and placed them around the windows and doors trying to keep the dust from sifting inside. She described some of the storms that brought total darkness in the middle of the day.
Unemployment was at an all time high as thousands were out of work. Men were desperate for jobs with some resorting to selling apples on the street. When the New Deal came about, many men were put to work building roads and public buildings. The news reels showed men building roads with picks and shovels, a far cry from the machinery available today.
Even though the situation seemed hopeless, many Americans turned to God and let their faith sustain them. Some of the strongest Christians I know are those who went through the Depression and never gave up the fight. Today they are teaching others to depend on faith in God to see them through the storms of life.
Faith is like a muscle that needs exercising in order to grow stronger. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." How can you believe in something you can't see? On your own you can't, but with God's help your faith that things will work out grows more and more. In Hebrews 11, the writer tells of men and women who put their faith in God and how they came through their darkest hour.
In a Bible study called "Lord, Change My Attitude," the author said, "Doubt sees the obstacles; faith sees the opportunities." When things seem hopeless and discouragement threatens to take over, it is more important than ever to look for those opportunities on the horizon. Life will never be the same after you go through a crisis, but you can always look back and see how God carried you through those times.
Back to the documentary I watched, I learned a great deal about the tenacity of Americans. Many lost their businesses and homes, but still rebuilt their lives and survivied. Our generation is blessed with roads, public buildings, dams and reservoirs and other projects that were constructed by the sweat and hard work of many. Every time we look at these, let us be reminded of those who were once on the verge of despair. These projects are a testimony to those who went before us.
There are times when we can become discouraged and want to give up, but that is the time to let our faith see us through. Let us remember the words of John in 1 John 4:4: "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
Debra Whittington is a longtime resident of Tucumcari. Contact her at:
