The wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, have absolutely devastated the region, but despite the tragic destruction and loss of life, some signs of hope have been discovered along the way.
First, there was a scorched Bible page found in the debris earlier this week — a discovery that brought those who first saw it to tears. And now there’s another symbol that’s inspiring the masses: a Jesus statue that is the only thing still standing at a home that burned to the ground.
CNN called the statue, which was discovered by reporters with WVLT-TV, “something of a miracle,” considering the horrific destruction surrounding it. The awe-inspiring display was discovered by reporter Kelsey Leyrer and her team as they were surveying the the damage in Sevier County.
Despite being covered in soot and ashes, the statue stood tall among the debris.
A statue of Jesus is the only thing standing after this Sevier County house burned to the ground. pic.twitter.com/WGd3B5Y7j0
— Kelsey Leyrer (@WVLTKelsey) November 30, 2016
“A statue of Jesus is the only thing standing after this Sevier County house burned to the ground,” Leyrer tweeted earlier this week, sharing a photo of the stirring find.
As Faithwire previously reported, this is at least the second religious symbol to be found among the ashes in recent days.
Dollywood Theme Park employee Isaac McCord previously discovered a scorched Bible page while helping clean up the grounds after the fire — a finding that gave him “goosebumps.”
“As soon as I got down on the ground, I noticed it was a Bible verse, and I was like, ‘Holy crap,’” he told USA Today. “It was in a puddle of water. I said, ‘I want to take care of this the best way I can.’”
And after realizing the contents of the verses on the page, he and a fellow employee were brought to tears — verses from Joel 1 and Joel 2 that mention fire and destruction (read more about the verses here).
“When we had both fully read it, we looked at each other — and I will never forget this moment — we both burst into tears,” he said. “I was ghost white, and we just prayed. There was nothing else to do. Still to this moment, almost four hours after the fact, I don’t have words for it.”
(H/T: CNN)
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