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On July 4, 2025, Texans were doing what Texans do. It was a Friday, and many were readying for a long holiday weekend. Major roadways were congested with travelers. Some kids were gearing up for baseball and softball tournaments, while others were attending or getting ready to head out to summer camp.
But what seemed like an ordinary day for many was life-changing for others. Massive rainfall in Central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to swell—rising 26 feet in less than an hour, according to published reports—and overflow its banks. The ensuing flood was catastrophic, claiming 139 lives and causing more than $1 billion in damage as entire homes and businesses were washed away.
Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief volunteers began deploying that day, rushing to affected areas in Kerr County, San Saba, San Angelo, and Leander. They set up feeding units and mobile shower/laundry facilities to minister to first responders. They scraped mud out of the homes of those who were fortunate enough to still have a standing structure. Chaplains prayed for and cried with survivors.
While this isn’t unusual, it’s still remarkable. Disaster responses require detailed coordination applied to some of the most chaotic scenarios anyone could ever face. They require ample resources, which, as Southern Baptists, reminds us of the power and practicality of our giving through the Cooperative Program. And responses like this, quite obviously, need people—those willing to give their time, their labor, and their hearts to those in crisis.
"Even in the midst of tragedy, brothers and sisters in Christ who live and work and worship in all the areas where flooding took so much have a testimony—God is present and He is at work."
But that’s only part of the story. Churches in the impacted areas must juggle the tasks of recovery while reaching out to minister to their communities. I’ve heard story after story following disasters like this where people get up early, go to their regular job, and then come home only to face countless more hours of work tarping roofs, mudding out floors, and tearing out sheetrock. Then when their home is done, they move on to help their neighbors and fellow church members. It’s exhausting.
Through all of that, God was—and still is—at work. That’s why we’re using a portion of this issue of the Texan to not only look back and acknowledge what these churches and communities went through, but to celebrate what God continues to do through circumstances nobody would ever choose to experience.
It’s estimated that somewhere in the range of 20 million Texans do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Of those, many would probably say they don’t believe God exists, or they could not imagine Him taking an active role in the lives of human beings.
That’s why telling these stories one year later is so important. Even in the midst of tragedy, brothers and sisters in Christ who live and work and worship in all the areas where flooding took so much have a testimony—God is present and He is at work.
