Washed Away

The Flood of 2026

August 2, 2026

Torrential rain continued for several hours last night. I looked at the clock, and it was around midnight. I grabbed my spotlight and shined it through my bedroom window toward the creek. I was in disbelief at what I saw. The water had risen to the point that it was up to my building. I quickly got dressed and rushed to the creek. The water was rising very fast, and I was concerned about my deck and, of course, the building. The rain began to subside, but I knew the water would continue to rise. I was not sure how high. As I flashed my light toward the deck, I noticed the water rushing above it, and then the chairs were swept away. Within a few moments, the deck began to move and then to come apart; in a few seconds, it disappeared. I stepped back as the water forced me away from the building. My attention was now on the building. Would it fill with water and ruin the contents? Would the water rise higher and possibly wash the building downstream and cause it to come apart? As I shined my light around the area, my thoughts turned to flooding I had seen on the news and to the destruction I had watched unfold as homes, buildings, and cars were swept by the raging flood waters.

 But a sense of peace seemed to come over me as I watched the water rise. I focused my light on the front of the building and watched as the water's edge came ever so close to entering the double doors. My shoes and clothes were soaked, but I was not going to leave until I knew what the outcome would be. The water was within one inch of entering the building, and then, as I stood there, it began to recede slowly. Of course, my concerns were about any additional rain that might develop overnight.

For the next several hours, I periodically checked the conditions from my bedroom window with my spotlight. Yes, the water was receding, and the radar on my phone was not showing any really significant rain in the area.

Finally, around 2:30 a.m., I fell asleep. At daybreak, I went to see the extent of the damage that the flooding had caused. The flood had not only taken my deck but also uprooted trees, moved huge rocks, and created new waterways.

Looking at the water lines around my creek, it was a miracle that my building was not destroyed. Needless to say, I have made arrangements to move my building to higher ground. I have no plans to replace the deck but rather build a concrete patio with rocks from the creek, ensuring that in the next flood it will not wash away.

So many memories on that old deck. It was 10 years ago to the day that I built it. It was my special place—1,000-plus hours of sitting, journaling, praying, and reading my Bible. At the beginning of COVID-19, the Holy Spirit prompted me to buy sackcloth and go to the creek. There I spent the day fasting and praying, wrapped in sackcloth for the protection of my family and loved ones. God honored that time, and no one succumbed to the virus.

A few weeks ago, my grandson came to visit, and we sat on the deck. I shared stories from my time there and pointed out details about various trees, plants, and even the Horn Toad fish that makes its home near the deck. It was special, and it will be something he remembers for the rest of his life. Later, we went to the Dan River. Due to the drought and the river's shallowness, he was able to wade out near the center and sit on a rock. Who would have thought that a few weeks later the river would roar to life and wash out the roads and even houses? I am so glad he was able to experience the serenity and the awesome sounds as the water gently rushed over the rocks around him.

Nothing stays the same, especially when it comes to nature. Floods represent change. Sometimes they can be overwhelming, especially when they are devastating. Yet, there is comfort for those who look beyond the natural and focus on the very words that Jesus spoke. “If we take His WORDS and do them, we will be like a wise man who builds his house upon a rock. And when the rains descend, and the floods rise, and the winds blow, the house will still be standing because we are founded upon the rock that is HIM.”