Sometimes an Answer to Prayer Arrives With Work Gloves

In the darkness of an early July morning, Janett Holcomb and her children watched floodwater enter their home in Kerrville, Texas. They moved upstairs to get away from the water. Janett held a Bible and rosary as her family prayed together.

They had made memories in that home for more than a decade. Now water covered the floors, and they could do little but wait for morning.

Janett was already carrying a great deal. Her husband had been diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia three years earlier, and she worried about how much responsibility their teenage son had taken on. After the flood, she looked at the soaked furniture and damaged walls and knew she could not handle the cleanup by herself.

So she asked for help.

Texans on Mission volunteers had arrived in Kerrville to help families affected by the flooding. After Janett reached out, a team came to her home the next day. They covered furniture that could be saved and pulled out wet drywall to help prevent mold. While they worked, a chaplain sat with Janett. They talked, prayed, cried, and shared stories.

The volunteers could not give Janett back the morning before the flood. They could, however, stand beside her in the days that followed. Janett told them they felt like an answer to her family’s prayers. “You’re my angels,” she said.

Her story is a picture of faith in action.

James 2:17 says, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” It is easy to say we care about people who are hurting. Love becomes visible when we notice what they need and offer what we can: a ride, a meal, an afternoon of work, or simply our presence.

It also takes courage to be the person who asks. Janett could see the work ahead of her, but she could not do it alone. Reaching out gave others the chance to help carry that burden. The volunteers showed up with tools, but they also made time to hear what she was going through.

We may never be called to clean up a flooded home. Most of us will, though, meet someone facing a loss that feels too large to carry alone. We do not need a perfect speech or a solution to every problem before we reach out. We can begin with a simple question: “What would help you today?” Then we can listen and follow through.

Janett’s family prayed while the water rose. Days later, people arrived ready to work. She saw God’s care in the hands of those who came to help.

This week, look for one person you can show up for. Your time, your hands, or your willingness to listen may matter more than you know.