As I approached my brother- and sister-in-law’s property, my heart grew heavy. All of Rodney and Mercy’s worldly possessions were heaped on their front lawn, waiting to be hauled away.

The week before, Hurricane Helene had sent a powerful surge of saltwater into thousands of homes along the Florida Gulf shoreline.

I had heard it from so many—“Kristi, we don’t even know where to start.” But I couldn’t comprehend the devastation until I saw it for myself. It looked like a warzone.

I found Mercy in the garage going through hundreds of wet photos, attempting to salvage precious memories. I expected her to be downcast, crying, maybe even angry. But she met me with a huge hug and thanked me for coming to help. I felt unworthy, as I could only be in town for 24 hours.

“It doesn’t look like it, but we’ve made a lot of progress.” Rodney added.

They were right. It was hard to see progress with the mounds of debris and the endless work ahead. But once inside their home, I could see the house had been emptied, pressure washed, and stripped to the studs.

I recalled their comment about not knowing where to start and realized that to move forward, a person doesn’t have to know exactly where to start—they just have to be willing to step into the mess and get started.

What made their efforts even more courageous was that Hurricane Milton, a category-five storm, was barreling down on them. It would have been easy to say, “What’s the use? This storm will undo anything we’ve done.” But they kept working, refusing to focus on what might happen.

More people stopped by to offer encouraging words, food, and helping hands. Eventually, though, every one of us left.

Rod and Mercy, however, didn’t have that luxury. To rebuild their lives, they had to keep coming back every day. They couldn’t wait for someone to come along and fix their problem. They had to take responsibility for their home and future.

It would’ve been easy to grow angry at those who hadn’t shown up, but growing bitter over someone else’s action or inaction wouldn’t fix their situation. It would only impede progress. Rod and Mercy chose to be thankful for who was there, regardless of how long they remained.

I was puzzled by some of the items in the mound—from a distance, they looked salvageable. But a closer look revealed fried electrical panels, corrosion, black mold, hairy mildew, and raw sewage. Rod and Mercy had to remove these items before their lives could be restored.

I was also amazed at how they embraced the process. They didn’t complain or point to the mound and say, “Look at what we’ve lost!” Instead, they celebrated items recovered, no matter how small. For Mercy, every salvaged photograph was a cause for celebration. She’d smile, laugh, and call out, “Come here, chica, look at this.” We’d stop the work and head down memory lane.

A few days before, a neighbor had scolded Mercy. “How can you laugh at a time like this,” she’d grumbled. She didn’t know that laughter and gratitude were what kept Mercy going and prevented her from becoming angry and cynical. That’s a great lesson for all of us.

Maybe you’re facing an unsurmountable task too. Maybe you don’t know where to start. Begin by asking the good Lord to help you; He will show you the way (Proverbs 3:5–6; Psalm 119:105). Then lay your emotions aside and face the mess with Him.

You’ll have to get your hands dirty as you remove your contaminated items (maybe even people). It can be disheartening. Just remember not to focus on the discarded pile; instead, look at the future set before you (Hebrews 12:1–2). Some days it might even seem you’re going backward, but you’re not. You are making progress, and you are not alone—God is in the mess with you.

Keep giving Him your doubts and fears, guard your heart, and refuse to quit. And like my in-laws, stop and rejoice over what you do have and celebrate how far you’ve come. Every day, you’re one step closer to a life restored.

KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON encourages and equips people for victory through her writings, speaking engagements, and prison ministry. To learn more, go to kojministries.org.