Plays On Word Radio
An in-depth look at the Word of God, the Plays On Word community, and the Plays - with original music - we perform, that are based on the Word of God. New episodes drop Fridays at 7AM EST! To find out how Plays On Word Theater can perform 'LIVE on YOUR STAGE' and to support this missionary & podcast visit: https://playsonword.org/
Plays On Word Radio
Ep 90: (Part 2) Stranded in the Storm - Resilience, Faith, and Community in Unexpected Journeys
"A storm left us stranded at a gas station overnight without power or service. Through prayer, humor, and community, we found resilience, faith, and solace amid the chaos. Do you know what it’s like to have the peace that surpasses all understanding?"
What do you do when a storm leaves you stranded in an unfamiliar place, with no power or cell service? Join us on Plays on Word Radio as we recount our unexpected 31-hour journey, reminiscent of biblical travels, that started at a Marathon gas station. Encountering a starlit sky and an eclectic mix of fellow travelers, we discovered solace in prayer and the kindness of strangers. Through humor and shared stories, we navigated the night’s uncertainties and found strength in a small, supportive community amidst the chaos. This episode captures the heart of resilience, faith, and the unexpected beauty found in challenging times.
As the storm's impact unfolded, we hear of remarkable individuals like young Micah, whose steadfast faith became a guiding light in moments of peril. The journey also revealed the heavy toll of tragedy, especially in Asheville, NC, where lives were lost and families devastated. We reflect on the power of prayer and community support, with a special call to remember families, like the Drye family, experiencing unimaginable loss. As we share their stories, we extend our gratitude to our listeners for their continued prayers and support, hoping to offer a touch of peace and encouragement to those who need it most.
News & Video Link (via Yahoo! News/ Fox Weather):
Asheville mother recounts last moments with son before he was swept away by Helene floods: ‘He became my hero’
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Lord you know. Hey guys, you are now listening to Plays on Word.
Speaker 2:Radio. It's the best. We'll be right back. You're the only name. You're the only name. You're the only name.
Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to Plays on Word Radio, where we discuss, analyze, work and play on the Word of God. Thank you for joining us on this excursion. Today let's join Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenny Jr, the founder of Plays on Word Theater, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God.
Speaker 2:Okay, all right, we are back and we are continuing our story of our mission trip, kind of like Paul and Barnabas and Paul and Silas. They would tell about their mission trip. They'd come back and tell the church in Antioch, where we're telling you guys what happened happened and we found ourselves at a marathon gas station during the storm uh, actually, during the aftermath of the storm, the storm already passed. We found ourselves at a marathon gas station that was closed and had no gas and there were about four cars there and a truck, and now it's dark, there are no lights, no electricity, no cell phone service anywhere. Sos is on the cell service and I'm like, okay, lord, we're stuck here, we are. Yeah, we're not getting out of here. So you know, I told katie, I said, yeah, yeah, we're not getting out of here. So you know, I told Katie, I said, yeah, looks like we're camping in a truck.
Speaker 3:I mean we were in the best possible spot if the lights went back on. Right, we were right in the bay for gas, but you know, as time went on it kind of felt like that wasn't going to happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, especially once it got to about 9, 10 o'clock I was like, yeah, once it got to about nine, ten o'clock I was like, yeah, we better, you know. And it wasn't. You know, it could have been worse, it could have been raining, it could have been boiling hot. It was not bad, it was like 75 degrees, maybe 80 and um, so we, we're trying to get some sleep. In the meantime you weren't feeling all that well, no, just because it had been a physical week, just getting out there and then doing the play and unloading and loading up and then heading back. We were physically tired and I just remember praying and I remember having the peace of God. I remember having peace. I remember walking out, getting out of the van, the truck and looking up into the sky and I saw the stars and I was like, wow, man, look at the stars, it's incredible Because there was no light pollution. And it was like, whoa, this is great.
Speaker 3:I felt pretty comfortable with the people that were there, but as the went on, people were pulling in and out that's where it got a little hairy you know, and a couple people had come by and they were like you know, do you need some gas? Or you know, and I don't know about you guys, but I'm not trying to engage with anybody at three o'clock in the morning, no we figured, hey, at 10 o'clock at night.
Speaker 2:I'm not trying to engage with somebody like in the dark, when you're in the dark and you can't see what's happening, so we just kind of tried to. I didn't sleep, though, so we yeah, I was, I was trying to, I was like man, I need to, I need to try to get some sleep you had to.
Speaker 2:You were driving, I was uncomfortable driving and I couldn't get myself where I could really sleep, right then, uh, that, then that's when a dude pulled up with his pickup truck on the opposite side and he had a dog. And I saw him, he had a dog there and I was like man, two dogs, I think, yeah. And he just set up camp in his pickup truck and I was like, okay, all right, well, we're going to sleep too. And people would pull in. Every 10, 20 minutes Somebody's looking for gas, people were pulling in, and this went on and on for hours.
Speaker 2:Finally I fell asleep from exhaustion and then I got woken up by some dude pulling in with a pickup truck. He was blasting music and it was kind of of loud, and he had a few people with him and I'm like, oh boy, here we go, here we go, and he's driving around. I couldn't understand what he was saying. He's driving around the gas station and then he pulls up in front of us. Y'all need gas, y'all need gas. And I was just. I was like, no man, we're good, I'm thinking I'll just wait till the sun comes up.
Speaker 2:Man, I don't know what's. I'm not getting out of this. I'm I'm not in a position to be fighting nobody. I don't know what they're trying to feel out. See well, who's in the truck here. I don't know what's going on. It's pitch black and um. So I said, no man, I'm good. And he drove off and then he drove over to the other dude on the other side and I heard him talking and then he left and I finally fell asleep again after the guy left, and now it's six o'clock in the morning, 550, 59, something like that, and the guy comes back yeah, it was almost closer to seven when it got light out like completely light.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the guy came back though, and you know 6, 30 ish 6 40 because it was 40, something like that um, the guy came back.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because at 6, at 5, 55, I remember waking up and looking around saying, yeah, the sun, the sun's going to break soon, we'll have some light. And I was kind of surprised we didn't have light then. But because back in North Carolina at 5.55, we have light, but over there I guess it's not, it was just a little off. Anyway, the guy comes back and so I get out the truck and I walk over Since we've got some light, I can see, and I walk over and I he actually he had like water jugs or and milks, uh big, big gallon milk containers that they put gas in and he was loading them, loading this guy up. He hooked him up with 10 gallons and the guy poor guy, I didn't get his name he uh, he was able, he was like, yeah, you should do it, you should do it.
Speaker 2:And the brother that went and got the gas, he said man, I asked you if you want to gas in the middle of night. You said no. I said no, no, I man, I didn't know, I didn't know who you were, I didn't know what was going on, man plus, I was half asleep. He said you want me to go get you some gas. I said yeah, man, um, okay, yeah. And that's when he told me how bad the situation was, he said there is no cell service for like 100 miles almost. Um, there's no power for 100 miles. It's. It's, you know the this, the nearest place that would have gas was past augusta. Augusta was out, so it was way worse than I thought. So I told the guy, I said all right, man, and and I think he charged me like 12 a gallon or something like that. That's what it worked out to be, because he brought me back 10 gallons.
Speaker 2:Uh it was 125 bucks, yeah so he, he went and got and he went about 45 minutes back towards atlanta, almost an hour back towards atlanta, something like that, 45 minutes yeah, because he said he'd be back in about an hour well, yeah, but he came back.
Speaker 2:It was a little over an hour, it was over that, it was over now, um, and he went back and got 10 gallons and that that could get you about 100 miles. And he came back and brought it and dumped it in a truck. Boom, we fired it up, started up and he and then he said another decision, the important decision we made. We could have tried to push it, keep going east and hope we run into a gas station, or we could go back to the gas station where he said the exit to go to. And I said let's go back to that exit where we know there's gas and we'll gas up and fill up completely we'll be able to make it home, and that's what we ended up doing back there that's when, and when we got there, there was a big, big line, long line it was about a hey, I don't say half my called it quarter mile, but it was growing.
Speaker 2:It was good thing we got there when we did. Now it's Saturday morning and this nine-hour trip we're already how far into it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Well, ultimately, what should have been a nine or a 10 hour trip, we were on the road for 31 hours by the time we got home. 31 hours, but you know before, because I know someone's going to be out there and say, oh my goodness, you know people price gouging and stuff, and but you know what I had compassion for this man.
Speaker 2:He was getting his hustle on, he really was.
Speaker 3:And we said you know, you had said to him I'm a pastor, what can I pray for? And he goes and he said I need some good news and a better life. Do you remember his name? Yeah, and so we need to pray for Don.
Speaker 2:His name was Don, his name was Don Lewis and Reuben Lewis and Reuben and these guys, I'm convinced, whether they're getting their hustle on or not, the Lord used them. And this is the thing. When I got out the truck, I just felt like I felt like, okay, this is part of the Lord's plan. I just you have certain peace when certain, and even when we were stranded, I was not, I wasn't stressed, I had complete peace. I was just like Lord, I don't know how you're going to work this out, but this is way worse than I thought. But praise the Lord, and it was actually a great night under the stars with the Lord. I'd rather sleep in my bed as far as comfort.
Speaker 3:I think I said to you at one point. I said I will never complain about gas prices again.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:Because that's the most we ever spent. Yeah, but you know what I mean. Thank goodness we had the cash on us. You know, like I said, I just had compassion for him and that at the time, was the best hundred twenty five bucks we could have spent, because it got us to where we needed to go. Right, and I'm praying for him. And you know, because we know the good news, because I said that I don't know that he heard it, but Jesus will do that for you. He is the good news and that's what we're praying that he finds. And if that, you know what?
Speaker 2:if our $125 helps him get that better life so be it, amen, amen, and so please remember him in your prayer.
Speaker 3:Don Lewis and Reuben. Don Lewis and Reuben.
Speaker 2:Because they were absolute angels.
Speaker 3:They were up all night going back and forth.
Speaker 2:And this dude. I don't know about the other two that were with him, but Don, he drove from Virginia. He lived near Richmond. Oh, that's right, he drove from Virginia down to Georgia just to help out and he was getting his hustle on and helping people that needed gas and going around. My only problem was his approach at 3 o'clock in the morning having music blasting. No, that's not the way to do it. That's not the way to do it. Be like, hey, you know.
Speaker 2:Because I don't know you. Well, that's right. Where way to do it. That's not the way to do it. Be like hey, you know, I don't know you. Yeah, that's well, that's right where I was coming. I was like man up in the north, this is a setup and maybe this is down south, maybe this is how they treat, but up in the north somebody rolls around like that in the middle of night. You got to keep your guard up, right, but you don't want people to know that you're vulnerable, exactly. I was like okay, anyway, uh, yeah, so it got us unstuck, we started moving.
Speaker 2:We were praising god in the midst of a tough situation and we made our way back. I detoured a little bit more, a couple more times, we, but we did make our way back and finally got home. What time? What time did we get home?
Speaker 3:it was like six o'clock something like pm yeah, so literally it was like 31 hours, 31 hours on the road but we made it back.
Speaker 2:A lot of you guys were checking in with us and we were checking in with you guys pam at one point she was hysterical because she's, you know, she's checking in.
Speaker 3:She's like, wow, you guys are always on an adventure. Next time you guys are going to be into, you're going to be storm chasers. I said, yeah, we're going to start doing the podcast remotely. We'll do interviews and a balance of that and weather reports.
Speaker 2:The thought crossed my mind. I actually I was like we should just record from here in the cab.
Speaker 3:Be like okay, please don't word radio.
Speaker 2:We're stuck here in the middle of nowhere.
Speaker 3:She got to the point. She was like like she was on a cb radio and, uh, she was reporting in and checking in. She's like how's it going?
Speaker 1:rubber, ducky, yeah that was my calming yeah, we had, yeah, it was I'm glad we could find some humor.
Speaker 3:I'll tell you what that 12 hours in the gas station, what? What we went through is nothing compared to what is happening in Asheville and people that we know and people that have lost their lives and people that are still unaccounted for. We really need prayers for that part of North Carolina.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I won't complain for that part of North Carolina. Yeah, it's, I won't complain. I read an article about this kid and as we were driving back and then when we got back, we got more and more reports. And I have pastor, we have pastor friends there, pastor Billy. We just met him in.
Speaker 3:August Calvary Chapel, asheville, calvary.
Speaker 2:Chapel, asheville, and he you know we were talking about coming out to Asheville, and you know and he, there was no contact with him. And then, finally, he reached out after I said are you okay? No-transcript. However, the flood became so powerful that it broke the home apart. At that moment, dry said that her son called for Jesus to save him. He reached for something past flesh. This is a quote. He reached for something past flesh, past human past, anything that even grown adults, I think, would reach for. She said, my son called out to the one, god Almighty, and I think at that moment he was rescued and became my hero.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I think all of them. I think all of them carried me through that moment. Carried me through that moment. All four were sent downstream, with Micah being torn away from his mother. I mean, this is unbelievable Seven-year-old kid. So while we were thinking, well, me and Katie were thinking, okay, this is a storm, there's a lot of rain and stuff like that. Where we were thinking well, me and Katie were thinking, okay, this is a storm.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of rain and stuff like that. You know where we were potentially heading. It was way worse than and is way worse. Some people's lives are changed right now for eternity.
Speaker 3:I honestly I think, had we gone that way, we would not be recording right now. Yeah, we'd be done, we'd be, you know we'd be with the trailer, yeah we were pulling a trailer, I mean, and with the truck and there were reported mudslides in between Tennessee and Asheville, so right where we were going so keep this mother in prayer.
Speaker 2:and there's so many more that the death toll has jumped from 150 to I don't know. It's in the hundreds and hundreds now. And there were 600 people last checked that were not accounted for. They were finding people in the trees. Man, I mean, it's just unbearable.
Speaker 2:You know this kid. I can't get his picture out of my mind, man, he looks like I did when I was a kid, you know. And he called out for Jesus and we know he's with Jesus. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Unfortunately for the mom, he wasn't saved. This side of glory. But that's not the end of the story, see, because his faith, even at such a young age, and his trust was in the Lord. He is not lost. He has just moved, and that move is a temporary location and he's coming back with the Lord, as are all of us that are have put our faith in him. And if your faith is in Christ, death has no sting. It's got nothing on you. You move from this flesh, which is not going into heaven, anyway, you move from it, and we await. The whole creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed, it says in Romans.
Speaker 3:Amen.
Speaker 2:And we wait for that day when we are changed and we get our glorified bodies, like his body, the mortals got to put on immortality. And when that happens, I'm telling you, we will be forever in the Lord's presence, in a body not floating on clouds like Casper, the friendly ghost. That is not the end game, and this young kid is is coming back with the Lord, is coming back with the Lord, and his mom has a hope that those who do not have faith in Christ do not have. When you know where something or someone is, they are not lost. When you know where they are, you might not be able to get to them. I can't get to my dad. I would love to talk to my dad right now.
Speaker 3:I do ask the Lord to tell him. I said hello, yeah, we miss.
Speaker 2:Freddie Fred. We miss Freddie Fred bad. You know our loved ones. We miss them this side of glory. We only have to do this once, though right. Only have to do this once, though right. We got to do this once, you know. So I just want to encourage you guys and thank you for all your prayers, and we're running out of time for this episode too, so we're going to close this up. Please keep the dry family, or the mom, in prayer. I think she lost her parents too right?
Speaker 3:I think so, the parents and her son. We can put that link in there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we'll put the link up. We'll put the link up because it's and these stories are over and over and over and over. That's just one story and there's just numerous, numerous stories of this type of pain and heartache, where people's lives are changed for eternity. So please keep them in prayer. We are going to get back together again with you guys next week. We will bring you a another episode, Lord willing. And until then, the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Speaker 1:This program was made possible by the Plays on Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our website at playsonwordorg.
