The title of this post is a bit misleading- there aren’t many smiles in it. If you have been watching the news recently, you’ve probably seen the devastation in the Appalachian region following Hurricane Helene.

I’m from the Appalachian mountains- not in North Carolina, although I did live in Western NC while I was working on my undergraduate degree. This part of the world has my heart- it’s where I became an adult, it’s where some of my dearest friends live, and now it’s where my family and I love to vacation.

Some of our favorite little mountain towns in NC, upstate SC, and East TN are obliterated. Families have lost everything and some families are searching for their missing loved ones. The cleanup efforts are going to be massive and it’s going to take forever to get it all cleaned up.

My heart is extremely burdened for these people- many of them had no warning and weren’t able to evacuate. Many of them are stranded with no supplies and no way to leave.

Please pray for the areas affected by Helene in NC, TN, SC, KY, and GA. If you can, please donate supplies or money. Contact your local American Red Cross to find donation centers.