April 27, 2011, began like any other busy day.

As I listened to the weather reports, I knew there was a strong possibility of a tornado heading our way. But like many people in Alabama, I thought, How many times have we heard this before? It never hits us. It is always somewhere else.

When I returned home, my eighteen-year-old son, Kevin, was there. He had been dismissed from school early because of the severe weather threat. I continued watching the weather reports on television while Kevin monitored the storm on his laptop.

My husband, Randy, worked for Alabama Power Company, and he had always stressed the importance of safety. He had made sure we knew where to go during a tornado warning — a small storage room in the basement underneath our front porch.

Kevin went downstairs with his laptop and cell phone. Since Randy was at work in Birmingham, Kevin became “the man of the house” that day. He kept insisting that I come to the basement.

I guess you could call it a role reversal. My son was telling me what to do.

And finally, I listened.

Kevin was watching the storm on his laptop. Suddenly, he closed it, placed it on the floor, grabbed his cell phone, and warned me that it was coming.

Within minutes, we heard a whistling sound. Everything in the basement began flying toward us.

I was wedged in by a piece of my husband’s workout equipment. Kevin was bleeding and holding crumbling cinder blocks off of us. But even in that terrifying moment, we knew that “something” was the hand of God.

God had saved us.

Kevin began screaming for help. Friends and neighbors heard his voice and came to our rescue. They located us by the sound of his voice and pulled us out through a small opening in the debris.

Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw.

It looked as if a bomb had gone off. People were screaming and running to help those who were trapped. The second floor of our house had been blown across the street. The first floor was in the front yard. The back wall had collapsed into the basement.

All of our possessions were either gone or damaged beyond repair, including Kevin’s 2011 Ford Mustang, a special gift for his eighteenth birthday.

Our friends and neighbors, Phillip and Carol Woods, took us to what remained of their house and treated Kevin’s bleeding ear. We stayed there until family could reach us. Then we walked with my sister, Michele Hyde, to her house in Highland Forest.

Michele had made her way to our street, but it was not easy. As she traveled through the ravine from Highland Forest to 12th Street, she saw injured people, animals running loose, power lines on the ground, and heard cries for help everywhere. She later said it felt like a scene from a horror movie — only it was real.

It was not until later that night that Randy was able to reach my sister’s house. Our daughter, Kristin Woodruff, and her husband, Bryan, were not able to get to us until the next day.

We are so thankful to God that He spared our lives and allowed us to be reunited with our family.

The days that followed were spent sorting through rubble and trying to hold on to whatever memories we could. With the help of family, friends, and volunteers, we salvaged some items. But those were only material things.

We still had what mattered most.

The response from volunteers in our community was overwhelming. We thank God for every person who helped us in so many ways. I will not try to name everyone because I would be afraid of leaving someone out, but those who helped know who they are, and we are deeply grateful.

We are especially grateful to my sister Michele, her husband Mark, and their children Allie and Logan. They allowed us to live with them for two months while we tried to put our lives back together. It was not always easy having three extra people living under their roof, but they always made us feel like their home was our home too.

Eventually, we moved into temporary housing in June. In December, we moved into our new residence.

We relocated to Morris to be near our daughter Kristin, our son-in-law Bryan, and especially our twin grandchildren, Madison and Jackson. But Pleasant Grove will always be my home.

It is where I grew up. It is where I met my husband. It is where we were married. It is where my children were born and raised. It is where I have family, friends, memories, and deep roots of faith.

As I continue to make trips back to Pleasant Grove to visit my parents, James and Eloise Logan, my sister and her family, my friends, and to attend church, I am encouraged by the rebuilding I see. I am excited to see the beautiful new homes of many longtime friends.

God had His hand on Pleasant Grove, just as He had His hand on Kevin and me on April 27, 2011.

Pleasant Grove may have been changed forever, but it became a stronger community.

And I am proud to say it was my home for many years.

Update — God Has Continued to Be Faithful

Years have passed since that day that changed our lives forever, but God has continued to remain faithful through every season.

We still return to Pleasant Grove whenever we are able for special church services and events. Since the tornado, our family has experienced both loss and blessing. My dad, James Logan, has gone on to be with our Lord, and my mom, Eloise, now 92 years old, resides in an assisted living facility near us in Gardendale.

God has also blessed us with a sweet daughter-in-law, Rachel, and three more precious grandchildren: Helen, who is 6; Hudson, who is 3½; and Hampton, who is 17 months old.

Looking at our family today is a reminder of how faithful God has been through every season. On April 27, 2011, we could not imagine all the moments, memories, children, grandchildren, graduations, and blessings that still lay ahead. Every family gathering and every milestone now feels even more precious because we know how quickly life can change.

 

Only by the hand of God was all of this possible — more years, more memories, more milestones, and more time together as a family.

Worship Reflection — “You Never Let Go”

You Never Let Go beautifully reflects the heart of this testimony. Through fear, destruction, uncertainty, and rebuilding, God never left Jan and Kevin alone. Even in the middle of the storm, God’s hand protected them and carried them forward.

The words of this song remind us that no matter how dark the valley or how difficult the season, God walks beside His people and never lets go.

 

“Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm.”

 

Scripture Connection

“The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”
— Psalm 28:7 (NASB)

Reflection Questions

1. Where have you seen God’s protection during difficult seasons of life?
2. How has God used family, friends, or community to help you through hardship?
3. What blessings has God brought into your life after a painful season?
   

   Closing Thought

   Jan’s story is not only about surviving a tornado. It is a testimony about the faithfulness of God through fear, rebuilding, grief, healing, and the gift of more years with the people we love.

   Even after the storm passes, God continues to write the story.

   Related Pages

   • Faith During Hard Seasons — Stories and testimonies from individuals who experienced God’s strength, comfort, and faithfulness during seasons of fear, uncertainty, grief, illness, and personal struggle.
   • Walking Through Grief with God — Personal stories from those who have faced loss and discovered God’s presence, peace, and hope while walking through grief.
   • Seasons of Loss, Seasons of Growth — A personal testimony by Susie Travis about loss, family struggles, health challenges, spiritual growth, and learning to trust God through changing seasons of life.
   • Walk to Emmaus and My Faith Journey — Stories and reflections from individuals whose faith and discipleship were strengthened through the Emmaus movement and their walk with Christ.
   • Saved by the Hand of God — Testimonies of God’s protection, guidance, and faithfulness during accidents, storms, medical emergencies, and unexpected moments of danger.
   • Faith Through the Storm — Stories from individuals and families who experienced God’s presence during literal and spiritual storms, including difficult life circumstances and natural disasters.
   • Everyday Moments of Grace — Personal stories of how God works through ordinary moments, daily life, quiet answers to prayer, and unexpected blessings.

   Closing Invitation

   These stories are shared by members and friends of the church to encourage others and remind us that God is faithful in every season of life.

   At Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, we believe testimonies help strengthen faith, bring hope, and point others toward Christ.

   Learn more about Christian discipleship and spiritual growth through worship, study, prayer, service, and daily faith.

   Related Pages & Resources

   Stories of Faith
   Read more testimonies of faith, hope, healing, and God’s faithfulness.

   Prayer and Encouragement
   Find comfort, prayer, and encouragement during difficult seasons.

   Christian Living
   Learn more about Christian discipleship and spiritual growth through worship, study, prayer, service, and daily faith.

   Service and Outreach
   Discover ways Pleasant Grove UMC serves neighbors in Pleasant Grove, western Birmingham, and beyond.