Finding Shelter in the Storm: An Aussie Chaplain’s Reflection
Club31Women is honored to showcase the winning pieces from the COMPEL Writers Training competition, featuring heartfelt devotionals written by emerging Christian writers. COMPEL equips women with the tools and confidence to write words that matter—and these devotionals are a beautiful reflection of that mission.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (ESV)
When the Waters Rise
As I stood in the basketball stadium at Southern Cross University during Cyclone Alfred, I couldn’t help but think of Noah. While our evacuation center lacked the animal pairs, we certainly had our own version of an ark—stretcher beds lined up in neat rows, the constant hum of worried voices, and the unmistakable smell of damp clothes slowly drying.
I was there as a Disaster Recovery Chaplain, deployed alongside Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Anglicare teams. Our mission was simple yet profound: to provide a quiet, safe space for people to be seen and heard amidst the chaos.
God’s Family Gathers
The scene that stays with me most vividly is an impromptu soccer game between a chaplain, a police officer, and two First Nations children.
Yes, there was unrest. Yes, there was chaos and confusion swirling like the floodwaters outside. But above all else, there was acceptance. This was God’s family in its truest form—where age, race, class, and gender dissolved as people came together in search of safety.
Being Christ’s Hands and Feet
It’s one thing to read Jesus’ words about feeding the hungry and welcoming strangers. It’s quite another to live them out in a crowded evacuation center where 250 people are processing trauma, uncertainty, and fear.
So how do we survive and maintain hope when life’s circumstances feel overwhelming?
In those moments, theological debates and denominational differences fade away. What matters is the cup of water offered with kindness, the listening ear that says “you matter,” and the silent presence that whispers “you are not alone.”
Bent, Not Broken
The day locals were finally allowed to return home, hope swept through this Northern NSW country town like a fresh breeze. You could see it in the faces of people cradling loaves of fresh bread from the local bakery—a simple pleasure that had been unavailable for a week.
As our team gathered for a farewell prayer, I noticed something remarkable: a pine tree with its trunk bent over the Wilson River. That tree had endured life’s fury, had been pushed to its limits by wind and water, yet remained standing—bent, but not broken.
Your Storm, His Presence
Dear sister, I don’t know what storm you’re weathering today. Perhaps it’s a diagnosis that keeps you awake at night. Maybe it’s a relationship fracturing despite your best efforts. Or perhaps it’s a quieter storm—doubt, loneliness, or a sense that God has somehow forgotten your address.
Whatever waters are rising around you, know this: the same God who gathered His family in that evacuation center is gathering you close today. The same Christ who promises to be present in the feeding of the hungry and the comforting of the stranger is present with you now.
Like that pine tree over the Wilson River, you may feel bent by life’s harsh winds—but in Christ, you will not break. His strength becomes perfect in our weakness, and His grace provides shelter when all other refuges fail.
You are seen. You are heard. And you are never, ever alone in the storm.
In His Word
Psalm 46:1-2 (ESV): “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea.”
A verse to reinforce the theme of God’s presence during turbulent times and the security we find in Him even when surrounded by chaos.
In Your Life
- Think about a time when you felt “bent but not broken.” How did God make His presence known to you, and what strength did you discover within yourself?
- The chaplain’s role was “providing a quiet, safe space for people to be seen and heard.” Who in your life might need such a space right now, and how might you become that listening presence for them this week?
Let’s Connect
Raewyn Elsegood is a Sydney-based chaplain, writer, and speaker. This chocolate-loving mother of three appears regularly on Helping Hands TV and Hope 103.2 radio. She serves as an accredited Disaster Recovery Chaplain and director with Team GEM. Trained at theological college, the Australian Writers Centre, and Proverbs 31 Compel Writers, Raewyn hosts writing conferences and visits her eldest daughter in New York. Following her 19-year-old daughter’s passing in 2021, she is writing “21 Gifts: A Trail of Joy Hidden in Grief,” a self-help grief guide. Find inspiring resources and connect with Raewyn at raewynelsegood.com.