I started writing this article under a “tornado watch” with tornado alert sirens sounding in the distance.

Those of us in the Midwest of the United States have been dealing with a lot of wind and rain and abnormal tornadic activity this season. In St. Louis, Missouri, where I live, the year started with a tornado on January 1, which is highly unusual. Subsequently, members of my church, alongside other faith groups, spent quite a bit of time working in the inner-city neighborhood where this tornado hit, cleaning up debris and boarding up houses.

As I continue writing, the immediate tornado watch has lifted. The only damage this time was from softball-sized hail in several limited areas of the city. The tornados that were sighted did not touch down, and I’m grateful for that.