![\"\"](\"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/logoinside.gif\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/media.nbcmiami.com\/images\/620*349\/090617+irma+5am+track.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
[Adapted from Sent To Earth<\/a><\/span>]<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There were any number of scenarios for future U.S. events but a most frightening one was the most obvious and that was in Florida.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n For decades the state had been in a quiet hurricane cycle and in that time the population had exploded.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Apartments, condos, boutiques, hotels, resorts, plazas, and gated communities — the richest of the rich — now stood along the shore like bowling pins.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The odds told the story;<\/span> only God could prevent the kind of disaster that was being sown.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n If not this time, if not this year, the next.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A category-five was expected within 75 miles of Miami every thirty-two years, and it had been more than twice that — nearly eighty — since the most powerful hurricane on record to hit the U.S. wiped out Islamorada in the Keys.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Andrew had been a category-four, and had it not missed Miami (which it did of course by a hair), it would have destroyed an estimated one hundred hospitals, 125,000 businesses, and 225,000 homes.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Miami was currently<\/span> in the midst of its biggest building boom\u00a0ever.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n And directly across the state stood the luxurious abodes in places like Naples.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n For decades the Lord had kept hurricanes away. In St. Augustine was the “Hurricane Lady” — a statue of Mary prayed in front of when storms approached. In Key West, an entire shrine was dedicated to Mary’s storm protection, and thus far had worked!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n But was it now a new time? Would God’s Mercy continue, at least for a while, or would the hammer fall?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [resources:\u00a0Sent To Earth<\/a>\u00a0and Michael Brown retreat: Omaha<\/a><\/span>; Roslyn, Long Island to be announced for November]<\/em>\u00a0 <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/49029f748dee4cdff27b5913eab30037-st-maria-blessed-virgin-mary.jpg\")
Less than fifteen percent of the residents had experienced a strong category-four or five storm, and the state was overwhelmed with newcomers. On average 770 were moving there each day, and most were locating on the coasts!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/www.spiritdaily.net\/starofsea.jpg\")
Officials told me entire counties — especially Collier — could find themselves under water in a major hurricane, not even cat-five, if it was a direct hit. At the National Hurricane Center, officials outright told me that allowing construction on barrier islands — as was the case up and down the state — was ludicrous.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
\n[photo at top, NBC News, South Florida<\/a><\/span>]<\/em><\/p>\n