Crystal Writes A Blog

Heart Quake

February 9th, 1969, a little girl’s heart was broken when her daddy climbed out of a window and left her and her sister and their mother in the middle of the night. My memories of that time are a little foggy because I was so young, but I think it was the days after that I recall even more. The song “Daddy’s Home” played on the radio about the same time every evening, and I remember always waiting at the living room window to hear my dad pull up in his loud, rumbling car. Maybe the song only played at exactly the same time once, but it feels like every time because of how the memory is cemented into my mind.

Fast forward to February 9th, 1971, at 6:01 AM Pacific Standard Time. Our new apartment was in Sylmar, California, and just blocks from the San Fernando fault line. The earthquake registered 6.6 on the Richter Scale, and the shaking woke me up when it knocked a chest of drawers over and slammed it into our bedroom floor. I jumped down from my top bunk and ran to the kitchen yelling, “Mommy, Mommy, there’s a monster shaking the house!” Hmm, maybe my mom and step dad babysat us with a few too many Godzilla movies. 😁 Anyway, she told me it was an earthquake and that I should pray. Then she ran barefooted across broken dishes to get my sister out of her bed and put both of us in her room under lots of blankets. It was one of her most motherly moments.

Through the years, there have been other events on February 9th that seemed to make me wary of the day every year. Not every year, of course, but enough to keep me a bit on edge at this time each year. Today, though, it was the exact opposite. First, I was able to get outside in the sunshine for the first time in 2 weeks. Then I got some time to visit with my sister over the phone. And, best of all, I got news from my friend that her husband’s cancer was only on the tongue and not in the throat as they suspected, and the doctor even came out of surgery smiling. So, this year flipped the script and brought some really good events to this date.

The heart can quake or shake for a million reasons, and often those quakes leave cracks that don’t go away easily. But those who follow and serve The Lord know how the Balm of Gilead (a healing medicine) can calm the shaking and even repair some cracks. Jesus, not only our Healer but also our Comforter says this in John 14:15-18 KJV…

[15]  If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.14.15-18.KJV

As we continue through this heart and love month, remember that there is a God who is not “somewhere OUT THERE” but is actually near to us whenever we seek Him. He desires to share His love with us so much that He provided His own blood to cleanse us, so we could come boldly into His presence to get what we need. If you are a reader who has never received salvation, just speak out to Him with a pure heart and tell Him you want to try things His way because you’ve heard it can be much better. Tell Him the truth about everything, and then bring Him your brokenness. Watch Him work and bring you love beyond words and peace beyond understanding. 🛐🕊️☦️

February 9, 2026 - Posted by Crystal A Murray (aka CrystalWriter) | Creative Writing, Nonfiction, Slice of Life, Thoughts and Articles, Walking With The Lord | broken heart, earthquake, February 9th, God's comfort, God's peace, PTSD, salvation, Slice of Life