Category: Disaster Recovery
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Reinventing the Wheel
We spend a lot of time, energy, and resources “reinventing the wheel.” I see it most often in disaster recovery. Each community affected by a new disaster has to figure out how to navigate their recovery, starting from scratch. “Reinventing the wheel” is also a common occurrence in ministry, business, leadership, and even raising a…
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New Book Coming Out Soon
After the explosion in 2013 I discovered that each time there is a disaster, the affected community has to “reinvent the wheel” and learn from scratch how to manage their recovery. I spent the next decade or so studying recovery and working with people who were leading through recovery. I wrote “the book”Anchor Point” in…
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How Should I Give to Disaster Relief?
I often have people ask about which organizations they should send money to after a disaster. The best way to decide is to recognize that there are 2 main phases of recovery: short-term disaster relief, and long-term disaster recovery. The best way to give is to support both of those phases. First, give to immediate…
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Stars of Hope
We usually don’t even notice them anymore. I guess that’s to be expected, because they have been hanging there for over a decade now. Those wooden stars have just become a part of the backdrop of our community. There are dozens of them scattered throughout town. Each one is unique, powerful, and beautiful in its…
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Disaster Donations: 4 Issues Nobody Talks About
When disaster strikes, you feel compassion for the victims. You want to help, but what can you do? The easiest things you can do are pray and give. Your prayers really do make a big difference, but what happens to the money you give? Do your donations to disaster victims really help? I can tell…
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What I Have Not Lost
We say that our disaster happened on April 17, but that’s not completely accurate. Yes, our disaster happened in an instant, but it feels like it just keeps coming in waves. There is just one challenge after another. Over these past few months we have all lost a great deal. Last night I was thinking…
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Organized Religion
A few months ago I started this blog. Less than a week after I posted my first article, an explosion rocked my town and changed my life forever. On April 17, 2013 the fertilizer plant in West blew up. 15 people were killed, half the town was torn apart, and our world was turned upside…