Nashville is a place I love. I’ve been there probably a half dozen times, and each time I come away from the trip loving the South more and more. Maybe it helps that my sister graduated from Belmont, or maybe it’s how friendly the people are, celebrities or not. My sister showed me the fantastic food at McDougal’s and Pancake Pantry, and I’ve loved spending time in Gruhn’s Guitars looking at the amazing guitars and banjos. I can still remember one banjo that was all decked out in gold, red, white and blue. I wanted to take it home, but I think the thing cost like $10,000 or something. These are some of the reasons why I’ve been so devastated by the destruction caused by massive flooding a week or so ago.
Probably more disturbing and disheartening than my memories being irrevocably changed by the flood is seeing the lives of people I know be upended. Some people are trying to dry out their belongings in the hope that some of them can be saved. Others are just throwing everything out because it’s not even repairable. Many people have started gutting their houses, others are trying to find a place to live while they live out of a suitcase and a borrowed room at someone’s house. Flooring, walls, carpeting, furniture, appliances, everything that you use in your everyday life is ruined.
Can you imagine what this does to people’s emotions? I wouldn’t blame most Nashvillers (is that a word?) from curling up in a ball and crying for a while. It’s a proper and acceptable emotion in times like 
this. I know I would spend a fair share of my time doing that. You can only go along so long pretending everything is ok before you hit that wall and just crumple for a little while.
It’s been amazing though to see what most folks in Nashville have been doing. While they struggle through their own devastation and heartbreak, they’ve banded together like never before to help those in need around them. This has been an opportunity for not only the Church to shine in the community, but also for the goodness inherent in all people to come shining through.
Let me commend you all for doing an amazing job of showing true community and love in a horrible situation!
I follow a lot of people from Nashville through Twitter, and I just want to tell you how much I love what Pete Wilson and his congregation at CrossPoint.TV have been doing. This last weekend, CrossPointers banded together and went out into the community to help clean up houses, even though many of them have their own houses to clean out and gut. I know Pete got the opportunity to talk with Anderson Cooper about what’s been going on in Nashville, and CrossPoint has setup a Flood Relief Fund to help out those who have been devastated.
So real simply, here’s how we can help.
I strongly encourage you to click on the link below and donate to CrossPoint’s Flood Relief Fund. I trust them as an organization and know that the money will go towards those that have had their lives upended.
CrossPoint.Tv Flood Relief Fund
CrossPoint’s Flood Relief Flickr
