I just love a good thunderstorm. The storms that moved through yesterday and last night were quite powerful. They brought torrential rainfall — at a rate of four inches per hour — strong winds, and some of the most intense lightning I’ve seen in quite a while. The most exciting thing that happened during our lazy day at home was watching local news coverage of the chaos at the Dallas Cowboys’ training facility, as its bubble-roof was suddenly collapsed by the rain and wind. With gusts up to almost 80 miles per hour, caused by a microburst, it’s incredible that there were so few injuries.

Just as the third of four big storms was moving out of our neighborhood last night, the power went out.

No lights. No air conditioning. No television. No computer. No hum of the refrigerator. The washing machine stopped mid-cycle. The radio in Jackson’s room went off. It was truly the quietest our house has been in a LONG time.

My wife and I spent some of that late-night quiet time visiting and reminiscing about storms we lived through as kids. It is amazing how much detail the mind can recall from those kinds of events.

As I was getting ready for bed — by candlelight — I thought about how much our modern lives depend on electricity. Nearly everything uses it. And when we find ourselves suddenly without power and in the dark, it gives us pause to really consider life.

However, I think God gives us storms in life to remind us not so much of the power of electricity — but rather, His power. Only God can cause the wind and rain and hail. Only God can generate lightning and thunder. And only God can calm the storm.

The same power He uses to do all that is available to each of us through prayer when we call on His name. Are you plugged in today? Or are you living in spiritual darkness? If you’re a believer, perhaps your batteries need a serious recharge.

I thank God today that He knows my name, He knows my needs, and He loves me with a love that won’t let go. Whatever storm of life you may be going through, reach out and tap into His infinite power and overwhelming love.

No matter how dark times may become, I am grateful that Jesus is the Light.

One never knows when disaster will strike. Even with the many advances in technology, weather forecasting, and early warning systems, the fury of mother nature sometimes comes seemingly from nowhere — and with very little notice at all.

Such was the case in many of the locales affected by Tuesday’s killer storms that wrecked havoc across the South. The pictures are incredible. . . the stories, riveting. In just seconds, storms like these can alter life in ways that transcend comprehension.

I have always been fascinated by weather, even aspiring for several years to study meteorology. Instead, I married someone whose father was an Air Force meteorologist — so I still get something of an inside track when it comes to understanding how it all works.

There’s something powerful about weather. There’s the sheer scope of it . . . the intensity of it . . . and the rapid change of it. But there’s something else too. Weather, when it strikes like it did on Tuesday, becomes a great equalizer. Mother Nature is no respecter of persons. People of every race and color, every religious group, every social status, and every income level were affected by these storms.

One young man, whose one-year-old son is a leukemia patient at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, was actually at Hickory Ridge Mall when the tornado struck there, causing catastrophic damage. Fortunately, he was not injured, although his car wasn’t so lucky. Our family has been praying for this family for a number of months now, and it just becomes so personal when you know people who are impacted.

As I searched through the headlines seeking information about the damage on Tuesday night, I found something very disturbing indeed. People were leaving comments on the message boards at abcnews.com expressing their joy that God had poured out His wrath on the evangelical Christians who dared to support Mike Huckabee in the primaries. Although I have not yet committed to any particular candidate (and may not, for that matter), my heart sank when I saw how cold people can be in the midst of others’ pain.

As the victims begin to pick up the pieces and re-organize life in an effort to move forward, I urge you to pray for them. For the most part, our lives were hardly affected by these storms. For them, there was loss of possessions, loss of homes, and even loss of life.

For those who were so boorish as to gloat in the suffering of others, my prayer is for God’s mercy — because I have none to offer them.

To my friends who are alumni of Union University, be assured of the prayers of many for the entire Union family and all of Jackson, TN.

May we each live every day to the fullest . . . loving, giving, and sharing. You never know when it will be your turn to pick up the pieces of a shattered life.

Sometimes the playgrounds of life become places of danger and despair. This photo from Jim Beckel of The Oklahoman captured my attention — and really made me think.

The latest round of winter weather is having punishing effects on much of the nation. From the plains of the Midwest all the way to New England, it’s beginning to look a lot like. . . well, winter, at least.

I remember well the ice storm of 1994 that paralyzed much of the South. I was a student at Ole Miss at the time, and I recall the impact as if it were yesterday. The crashing of ice-laden trees in the woodlands behind my apartment sounded like a warzone of sorts. As a resident in the city of Oxford, I was without power for 11 straight days. That was a very bad thing for the thousands of college students who had to be in class two days after the storm arrived, thanks to the special electric crews from Nashville that got the campus up and running quickly.

My heart goes out to all those in the areas that have been so devestated by nature’s seemingly silent fury. It’s amazing how something that is so beautiful on many levels can also be so damaging — even deadly — on another.

Ice storms are unlike other types of severe weather, in that they can develop with very little notice. It takes just the right mix of humidity and cold air to create the perfect storm. Often there is a marked absence of loud precipitation, strong winds, or other normal indicators of severe weather. In fact, it is often during our sleep that a light rain can begin to freeze, coating trees, roads, and other surfaces with a dangerous layer of ice.

You know, there are lots of problems in life that develop in much the same way. Just as is the case with severe weather, we have to be alert to the signs of trouble on the horizon in other areas.

We have to pay attention to increasing tension in intimate relationships. This may come in the form of hostile or aggressive behavior, such as physical fighting or verbal abuse. . . or in the form of distancing behavior, such as the “silent treatment” or other patterns of avoidance.

We have to pay attention to changes in our bodies, in the case of physical problems, and seek medical attention, if needed. Just as we listen to weather forecasters for guidance in preparing for a storm, we must listen to our bodies, especially in the areas of sleep, appetite patterns, and pain.

We also must be aware of changes in our thought patterns or emotional responses. Being occasionally distracted or getting occasionally angry are things that might not necessarily get your attention. However, a marked increase in distractibility or angry feelings, especially if accompanied by verbal outbursts, are a cause for concern.

Knowing what is baseline, or normal, for you can be a real benefit — especially if professional help becomes necessary.

There are so many specific things of which we need to be mindful. Just as is the case with developing weather situations, early warning is a major key to an appropriate response.

If you “sleep” through the warning signs, you’ll likely awaken to a crisis situation.

One thing is certain: storms come for all of us, from time to time. Don’t be left out in the cold. Pay attention to changes in your own physical, social, and emotional neighborhood — and take any action before things get worse.