Article May 4, 2009 Issue

Graced by Spirit—even in the storm

During and after Hurricane Katrina

BY DONNA MORAN

When we read about epic events in the day's news, it's natural to be concerned and even pray for those involved. But often we aren't part of the story ourselves. But that's not the way it was for me in August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina flooded my city, New Orleans.

In that time of chaos, however, one fact stood fast for me: God is the ultimate protector, providing the wisdom and care to help us live moments and lives based in—and graced by—His spirit.

What I most remember about my Katrina experience was the outpouring of love, especially from people I'd never met. And I began to see that it came from God, from Love itself. To me those individual gestures illustrated Mary Baker Eddy's rendering of the verse from the Lord's Prayer "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." "And Love is reflected in love" (Science and Health, p. 17). I'm convinced that the spiritual basis of understanding that Christian Science teaches enabled me to trust God to provide for my family, as we moved step by step through the days and months after the storm.