Bear with me – this might not sound all positive to start but trust me and hang on – I will get us there. Are you watching the news? I do (hand raising). Ask yourself why – what are you hoping to or what are you actually getting from it? I believe news is a good thing. All news is not bad and all news is not true – those are the facts. In todays economy watching too much news can have an adverse affect on your whole world most especially your mentality.
I am in the same boat folks – I am asking myself why I watch and what I am hoping to get from it. Almost every single time I watch the increase in stats just breaks my heart. I keep thinking – I see people not doing the right thing every day. Those people make me mad because they are making it worse. The whole hoarding items from the stores, I have witnessed the lack of social distancing personally and it just - grrr. STOP * STOP * STOP
I heard someone talking the other day about going to the gas station and getting out to get gas – standing there and saying – oh is the virus on the keypad, is the virus on the nozzle, is the virus on the card reader. STOP then he began thinking – Jesus is right here on all those things. He is and will be with us through this. I thought heck yes, Jesus IS here. He has and is showing up!
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Here is a thought – while we are washing hands, sanitizing and taking precautions – just imagine after this is done - we keep being thoughtful about our washing then more things like flu and colds and other things that spread won’t happen as often – that is a really huge plus for what’s happening now and what can come from it.
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
I have seen and experienced so many wonderful things through this situation. I have a friend who has gone through some things in these last months that are so hard and trust me when I tell you – really hard – threatened and verbally abused, it goes on and on. She is very tender right now so I reached out to check on her via text, no answer, I texted again the next day, no answer. Finally I called and left her a voice mail. She called me back last night and I was so relieved to hear from her. Her company furloughed half of the work force, she is concerned for her own job and this furlough makes her job much more difficult because she deals with the employee items. She has a sister in an assisted Living center and as you all know they don’t allow visitors so she can’t go see her sister. This sounds like a bunch and it is – I am not discounting any of it. In the middle of our conversation though – she told me how much she appreciated me checking on her. That someone cared to do so. How can I not love on my family, my friends, my extended family. This sweet lady has been my friend 30+ years. We don’t talk all the time, we don’t see each other often, not nearly enough for me and I know she’d agree. I love my friend, very much! That seems to be the part of this that reaches me is it’s hitting people I know and love.
Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
So positivity – limit your news, we need to be informed. We don’t need to be numb from the heartbreak of it. Practice gratitude, practice getting outside your own head on things and looking to see if maybe someone else might need a text or a call. Maybe when you go to the store you can grab an extra something for someone in need.
You might be in need yourself and if you are and I can help you just let me know. I’m in. In the meantime let’s just pray for each other and stay up and ON. Let’s celebrate how we know it’s all going to work out because God is IN CHARGE here! Be GLAD
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D ay and night and always!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You, Thank You for this love. Thank You for protection. For health. Please cover us in your safety and support. Help us do our part to keep this thing away and stop it’s work. Please be with our leaders to make the best possible choices for the country. Please be with our Doctors, nurses, first responders and all those battling this out. Lord help us also to stay mentally healthy, to have gratitude and joy, to somehow find it in the middle of all this and hang tight to it. The Joy of the Lord is OUR strength. In Jesus name - Amen