Because Hurricane Ian devastated communities in southwest Florida in 2022, a Bible study started in Connecticut in 2025. The correlation and connection between these two events may seem surprising or unexpected, but there is a beautiful common thread that God weaves into our stories.

Barb and Tom lived in Spring Creek Village in Bonita Springs, FL. They were among some of the first to attend the Bible studies that we started in the community three years ago. They attended every week, and were excited to be learning more from God’s Word. The fellowship of the group and the spiritual growth in their lives was evident as they continued in the study groups. Unfortunately last year, they had health challenges that lead them to make the difficult decision to move back to Connecticut full time to be near family. We missed seeing them each week.

A few months ago we heard from Barb that they've started their own Bible study back home in Connecticut with some of their family and friends. Their group has grown to eight people, some of whom hadn’t read scripture or participated in a Bible study before. Barb lovingly calls their group the Connecticut chapter of the ReachGlobal Florida Bible studies. She shared that they were missing the fellowship and time in the Word together that they shared with the groups in Florida and realized that they could start the same thing where they were living now. “Every other Thursday we get together and read scripture and discuss our challenges. The Bible Study helps us get through by realizing we are not alone. The group is wonderful and we know God is with us. We pray and try to just let God guide us.”

There is a unique reality that southwest Florida has a great number of seasonal residents that spend some time in Florida and some time in northern states. What started as a Bible study in a single community impacted by Hurricane Ian has turned into believers taking the gospel with them to other areas of the country and multiplying. Tom and Barb started a Bible study in Connecticut. Another told our staff that they went home to New York for the summer and found a church, and then brought their kids and grandkids with them. One is now discipling a daughter and sharing what she’s learning from God's Word from states away.

Sometimes the Great Commission is lived out in the simplest of ways: sharing Christ’s love and shining the light of the gospel wherever you find God places you. We believe that in the wake of every crisis a mission field is created. Sometimes that crisis opens up a mission field 1,500 miles away in a living room Bible Study.

Please continue to pray for the three Bible studies at our site in Florida, our study in Hendersonville, and for the studies in Kentucky and Lake Charles that continued meeting even those responses have ended.

Email us for more information on trauma-based Bible study resources.