In late 2018, Michael, a category four hurricane, made landfall at Mexico Beach, Florida, with winds around 155 mph. Michael demolished nearly every Mexico Beach home and business in its path, including the Mexico Beach Police Department. Despite all the destruction, one house stood intact amongst the devastation.

“Hurricanes happen and so we intended to build it to survive and pass through the generations,” said Dr. Lebron Lackey, who built the vacation home with his uncle. Doing their best to prepare for the worst, Lackey said they went “overboard to preserve the structure.” and went the extra mile to add more concrete — especially in corners.

During the construction, they took every opportunity to “go one step further” beyond the building codes. An example was when they added 1-foot thick concrete walls and steel cables to hold the roof steady. They also built the ground floor with tall pilings to elevate the house in the event of a massive storm surge.

Lackey’s advice to everyone wanting to build their beach dream home, “study the environment where you are and take whatever you hear and expect it to be worse than that. And if you want to have it last, build it above and beyond.”

Lackey’s story reminds me of what scripture tells us about building our home on a solid foundation, but a solid foundation is just the beginning. You also need to use the right materials to build a home that endures the storms.

Daily Directive:

Answer and Journal the Following

Read:

Read and meditate on Matthew 7:24-27. 

Pray:

What foundation have you built your life on? Be real; be honest.

Meditate / Make It Real:

Pray to ask God to reveal to you how to fortify your home. Keep in mind it will take work but definitely worth it. Be specific.

Share / Show:

Share this with a fellow brother and have them hold you accountable.