“The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job 1:21

“The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” This verse, Job 1:21, was the one Dale Robinson quoted to me as he reflected on what happened to him and his family on March 16 and 17, 2019. Within 48 hours, their house and everything in it were completely under water. The reality quickly set in that they had lost everything. The devastation was tremendous. The displacement was real. Their lives were turned upside down and were changed forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Really?

For the Robinson family, the answer to that question is yes. How is that possible? How can you bless the name of God when he allowed such pain and destruction to take place? To understand the Robinsons’ response, you have to know their story.

A River of Grace

It was the spring of 2013. Dale and Angela’s marriage was falling apart. Their kids were struggling emotionally and relationally. Dale was battling an addiction to alcohol and other destructive habits. Angela was stressed, anxious, and depressed. The perfect storm had formed and picked up speed. In its path—the Robinson family. They were on the verge of giving up and giving in. Dale and Angela were ready to call it quits and throw in the towel. Then Easter happened.

They stumbled into Christ Community Church on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013. They didn’t know exactly what they were getting into, but they were desperate. As the sermon was preached and God’s grace was proclaimed, Dale and Angela broke down. They were asked by Pastor Mark to submit and surrender the things that were holding them down and holding them back from experiencing the love of Jesus. They placed all of those things at the feet of Jesus, gave their lives to him, and never looked back.

Since then, it hasn’t always been easy, but they have never doubted God’s grace and love for them. He slowly but deliberately began writing a new story with their lives. Their marriage grew strong. Addictions were conquered. Joy was experienced. Deep and meaningful relationships developed. They grew as a family as they grew closer to Jesus. Everything seemed to be moving up and to the right. And then the levee broke.

Rushing Out, Rushing In

It was an ordinary Friday. Dale was off to work as usual. The kids made it to school. Angela, who works part time at Christ Community Church on the Facilities team, was enjoying a day off. She ran some errands and went to the grocery store. As she unpacked the groceries and began making plans for the weekend, the call came in—Evacuate. Immediately. You have three hours.

Like a whirlwind, Dale came home and they quickly packed up a couple changes of clothes and rushed out. There was a slight panic in their step but there were also words of comfort and assurance spoken. They were told they could return by Monday. Most likely, it would be some minor flooding but they had every expectation of returning in a couple days, cleaning up a bit, and returning to life as usual. 

As the news images and pictures from neighbors in the area came in, the Robinsons quickly realized they would not be going home any time soon. And as Saturday night turned to Sunday, the image came across Angela’s phone that solidified that they would never be going home at all, ever again. Their house was almost completely submerged in the flood waters. The loss of everything they owned, two of their family cats, family photos, and letters Dale and Angela wrote to each other over years of their relationship—gone. This was when it became real and when it became too much to bear. Dale and Angela both broke down and cried. They experienced the pain of loss. They felt the reality of being displaced and homeless. They cried out to God in the midst of this terrible experience. God heard their cry.

God’s answer came to the Robinsons in a few different ways. First, they all said how they experienced the overwhelming, supernatural, loving presence of God. Their mourning turned to joy and grief to peace as they heard God tell them, “I have you. You’re in my hands. I’ll take care of everything you need. Just trust me.”

That’s what the Robinsons did. They trusted that God would provide. They didn’t know how or when. But they knew he would. And he did.

Angela’s phone started to blow up with calls and texts checking in on the family. People from Christ Community Church reached out, asking how they could help. Donations of clothes, supplies, and gift cards poured in. People all over the city rallied around them and overwhelmed them with love and generosity, so much so that they took in more than they could have possibly used for themselves. So they paid it forward and began passing those donations on to other families they knew lost their homes in the flooding as well. They were blessed and began blessing others.

Suddenly, the full meaning and purpose of this experience began to crystallize and make sense. Angela and Dale realized that God allowed this to happen to them so the love of God could shine through them to others who also experienced the same loss. Dale’s exact words: “If others can come to know Jesus through our story, then it’s worth it.”

The Robinsons wouldn’t have wished this on anyone in the world. They wouldn’t have wished this upon themselves if they had the choice. But they didn’t. The only choice they had was how they would respond. They chose to trust God and have faith. They chose to learn and grow from this crazy experience. They chose to bless the name of the Lord. Why? Because of how he had abundantly blessed them. Long before the flood waters rushed in, the living waters of God’s grace washed them clean and gave them a new start and a new life.

The waters will recede. Cleanup will happen with the help of Christ-followers and relief agencies all over Iowa and Nebraska. Homes and communities will be rebuilt. Life will go on.

For the Robinsons, life will go on, but it will never be the same. They will never be the same. God has changed them through this experience and will continue to transform them. Through the valleys and through the floods, from the mountain tops and green pastures, God is good and his love endures forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Joe Jensen is the Director of Strategic Projects and Church Engagement for The Barna Group