Our family lived in Colorado for three years at the base of the Rocky Mountains.
Within a few months of moving there, our first major snow storm came in early October, the 5th of the month to be exact. The snow storms continued coming on and off through May of the following year. This was a whole new world compared to Saint Louis, Missouri, where we did not get as much snow.
There is nothing like stocking up on groceries, settling inside a warm home for the evening, and having homemade chili on the stove while the hush of snow falling begins.
It seems that the world slows to a pause and enjoys the wonder and beauty of it all.
Seeing the soup aisle almost empty in the grocery store recently, as people stocked up, seemed surreal. There is no snow storm on its way, but there are storms brewing, hitting, and spreading throughout our nation and the world.
No one expected the Coronavirus, self quarantine, and social distancing to be a part of our present vocabulary.
With snow there is a calm beauty that arrives as the earth settles beneath the chill and awe of white covered rooftops, lawns, and mountaintops (if you live in Colorado for which we don’t anymore).
COVID-19 has brought empty aisles of toilet paper, the spreading of panic and contagious fear.
This week if you have had trouble processing all that is happening, you are not alone. If you’ve had trouble focusing on work or whatever it is that needs your attention, you are not the only one.
I am reminding myself of a few things during this time and I thought maybe you could use a little reminding too. 🙂
God came to breathe life into us, not death and doom. He tells us over and over again in His Word to “be wise” and “not to fear.”
We may have fears, but we do not have to obey the voice of fear.
We can be wise and prepare, and choose NOT to live in panic.
The Coronavirus did not take God by surprise.
God is the God of the complex and beautiful. He stays ahead of the curves and knows how to flatten each one at the appropriate time. Earth shaking events don’t catch God off guard like they do us.
Even in this short time since our world has been transplanted into this new environment of social distancing, and self quarantine—we are not alone. Let’s try and be wise in between our momentary meltdowns and losses that may cause a bit of grieving.
God is with us and He never stops breathing life into us if we will let Him.
“And the Lord God formed a man’s body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life. And the man became a living person” (Genesis 2:7).
Each one of us is a living, God breathed, miracle.
They say our bodies are made up of something like 37 trillion cells. Thanks to the Principles of Biology college course, this is fresh on my mind y’all.
Just one of those 37 trillion cells is made so complex with all kinds of reactions that take place in it, to keep our bodies functioning well.
We do not have to think about or tell our cells what to do in order to make the right reaction occur when it’s supposed to.
God is not shaken by what shakes us. He is in control of the universe as a whole and every cell in our individual beings.
Prior to the Coronavirus, we experienced flooding here in Jackson, Ms., and prior to that there were rumors of war in our county with another nation.
Y’all, there are always disasters or proposed disasters coming at us from one direction or another. With the internet and social media we know more than we can handle to know on any given day.
Stop and breathe my friend. We can do this!
God’s reason for coming to earth is always to breathe life into our weary bones, not take it away. Even when we exhale our last breathe God is bringing us into a new life that will never fade away.
God does not transplant His children into environments that He can’t grow us strong in—if we lean into Him.
“But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted into the Lord’s own house.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is nothing but goodness in him” (92:12-15)!
God desires us to grow deep roots that will make us live long, grow solid, strong, and immovable as we flourish in Him.
In the short time since the Coronavirus has made itself known, I’ve already seen God work miracles in our personal life and to a great extent in the immediate world around us.
Nothing stops what God is putting together, not even the arrival of a virus.
- We didn’t plan for it and yet, it worked out perfectly to take a quick spur of the moment jot to Ikea in Memphis, Tn, that my daughter was hoping for, just before we knew much about COVID-19.
- Opening a business bank account prior to banks closing their lobbies.
- Our toilet overflowing and how God brings extra provision just in time to cover the plumbing bill that left my eyes and mouth wide open like a shocked emoji. Roots taking over your pipes is not a good thing y’all.
These are the little things that may mean nothing to you, and yet through them I see God’s hand at work. I bet you may have your own God stories if you think about it.
Repeat those stories my friend. Not the stories of fear and the “news” that continues to promote panic over peace.
Be more convinced of God’s promises, as Abraham was, than of what you see and hear in the world all around us.
“That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping” (Romans 4:17-19 NLT)…
I am praying that Hope rises in all of our hearts as we tenaciously believe God’s truth over the news we hear.
Remember:
Truth stands the test of time and transforms our hearts and who we are becoming.
News comes and goes changing daily, and may affect our circumstances, but does define who we are.
We’ve got this friend!
As Abraham was not perfect and made mistakes, so do we. And yet, he believed God and was called righteous and the friend of God.
Be encouraged!
You and I are never alone! Take time to hear what God is speaking to your heart.
While we’re all praying for this to be over soon, I do believe that there are treasures to be found right where we are.
With much love and grace,
Joelle Povolni
If you need some additional encouragement this post may make the difference, What Will You Say In The Fire.
