March 30, 2016, was a stormy evening for Oklahoma. Severe weather was predicted. A tornado had been reported on the ground moving east, while we gathered with family for our Wednesday prayer meeting.

About 10 miles away, near Claremore, our 15-year-old son was at home alone, so we headed home to be with him. We kept updated on the tornado with our phones and were soon outside watching the foreboding sky to the west and talking with neighbors. My parents live right next to us and across the street lives the Chief of Police for Claremore. He was being updated with his radio when he yelled over to me, “It’s headed down the road straight at us. You need to take cover now.” I ran inside and called for my wife and son. We stood on the back porch for a few moments, and then we saw the tornado above the neighborhood behind us coming directly towards our home and my parent’s home. We ran to the farthest side of our home, away from where we saw the tornado headed and huddled in the shower together. For a moment I wanted to panic, but then a peace came over me, and I prayed aloud, “Lord You have always kept us and protected us and we are counting on Your help once again.”

It became completely quiet and we walked outside, and the tornado was gone. I checked on my parents. They had been huddled in their shower praying. Our homes had been completely passed over by the tornado. We were safe and protected by His precious loving care and watching over us. The neighbor’s house backing our property to the west was rendered unlivable for many months, and the neighbor’s house to the north was completely destroyed. As we began to inspect the surrounding area we found that the tornado had been on a direct path of destruction for over a mile headed straight at us and then turned at our back yard and crossed the road and continued its path of destruction for about another mile.

The damage was major with roofs and walls missing on homes, twisted mangled power lines and poles and trees uprooted everywhere. Many homes needed major repairs or had to be demolished and rebuilt. His tender loving hand of grace and mercy once again protected His believing children who love Him and trust Him for all things.

Praise the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bro. Joel Ragland