"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you... If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." --- James 4:8, Galations 5:23
Difficult times do not weaken God's power, but instead, make a way to increase it if we'll do as He asks.
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When Tom lost his job in August of 2010? Wow. Gut-Punch City. Three other guys were laid-off: the company downsized.
The first two days? Tom and I could barely breathe. Shock is like that.
But soon we felt God saying, "I'll get you through this! But you must listen. Remain determined. View Life through a positive slant of light."
And now when I recall those 20 jobless months, I remember miracles. The odd ways bills got paid, how Life went on with joy and how we even bought this little house in our unemployment.
But yeah, at first, a wonderful future looked impossible. I remember that, also.
And these coronavirus days? Oh. My. Goodness. What unemployed folks must be feeling! This makes Tom's sudden 2010 joblessness look like a birthday party. Things are 1,000 times worse, but thank-goodness, God is a kazillion times mightier. Whew.
But still, this sudden lack of employment for millions of people is like a bad dream from which they cannot awake. It is not their fault, it's highly fraught with questions, and America--
Doesn't, as a whole, know what it's doing.
Changes its mind daily as to what to try next.
Can't give us any real answers about the future.
Has state officials gone mad with control.
And has suspended the rights our Country was founded on.
And since this is my blog, let me rant here:
If you are one of my friends who's been social-media-yelling, "JUST STAY HOME! Your rights do not matter now! The government knows best.", well, your gullibility and over-whelming fear is not welcome in my world. And especially if you would deny people their God-given right to protest mistreatment? I will be ignoring you until this is over. Well, it will never be totally over so, hey, this is most likely, good-bye. Be well.
I personally am searching for more.
As in, strong folks who speak out bravely against injustice, over-reaction, fear-spreading and lunacy. Ones who know God never created us to live under house arrest. (A sampling of their links will be at the bottom of this post.)
Anyway. I feel sadness in the air. Chaos, also, but that's another post.
Often since a teenager, I've felt heavy disturbances in the air around me and woah, Nelly! It hardly gets any heavier than these present days.
So even though my life isn't greatly changed--still--I can feel some of the pain wafting around from the millions whose lives will never be the same, ever. And it keeps me from complacency, love-gone-cold and that dreadful it's-all-about-me disease.
And I'll end this post with this: In these times of deep trouble, may each of us also hear God declaring:
"I'll get you through this! But you must listen. Remain determined. View Life through a positive slant of light."
May we truly reflect the God who strengthens us and in so-uncertain times remain open to newness as directed by Him:
New ideas.
New ways of thinking. Creating.
New ways of working.
New ways of being.
New ways of thriving in a new normal.
And may we hang on tightly to Jesus on this new wild ride adventure and never, ever let go. No matter what.
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness... He will guide you into all the truth ... whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." --- Romans 8:26, John 16:13
"We know all things work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose....you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy..." --- Romans 8:28, 1 Peter 1:8
Whatever your calling/gift from God? Now's the time to go full-force with it. Mega-help and encouragement is needed like never before. People everywhere need to know our God delights in bringing good out of bad.
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"How can you look around this country right now and say we are 'the land of the free, the home of the brave'? Where are we seeing that, exactly?
If our commitment to freedom can be suspended, is only up until the point we are afraid of something, then our commitment to freedom is not any different. It's only about on par with the rest of the world. There's nothing special about us in that regard." --- Matt Walsh
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The links I mentioned from my new friends:
Your Rights Are Suspended
Citizens Begin To Stand Up Against Tyranny
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Doubting overreaching of governmental control?
In Beverly Hills you can't step outside your front door without a mask. You will be fined $1000 after a first warning. There is no science to back-up you'll be safer outside with a mask.
In Michigan? You cannot go out and buy seeds or plants in okay, okay, big box stores. Does that make some of you happier? Does that make better sense to you that it's fine to walk into a big box store and buy paper towels, but heaven forbid that you buy seeds or plants there? Frankly? It only makes it worse. Now you must drive someplace else and interact with more people in order to buy seeds or gardening supplies--if you can find those places. You can't tell me one single reason that this promotes safety. Not one. Only a far deeper dependence upon the government for food.
And don't get me started about the drive-through church in MS where 15 patrol cars(!) showed up to give out $500 fines to folks sitting inside their cars with their windows rolled up.
And don't get me started about the drive-through church in MS where 15 patrol cars(!) showed up to give out $500 fines to folks sitting inside their cars with their windows rolled up.
While researching prepping for disasters years ago I seldom came across virus-related information, but often saw government-leaders-will-take-over-our-lives posts.
And wow. It's happening. Everywhere.
But here's the great news! --
But here's the great news! --
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"Be not afraid of them [their faces], for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord." --- Jeremiah 1:8
"Old ways won't open new doors!! Don't be afraid to do something different than what you have known before.. God is with you!" --- Paula White Cain
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
Hi Debra, here in New Jersey, the Governor has shut down all parks. 😟 This is the time of year to get out and enjoy spring. All you see is yellow caution tape across trails and playgrounds. Yes, you can feel the sadness in the air.
ReplyDeleteWe are still working. I have one daughter at home who is an RN at a local hospital. When she gets home from an overnight shift at 8 a.m., you can feel the sadness in the air.
I work with a coworker who lost her mother-in-law last week. They can't have a funeral. There's sadness in the air.
I miss seeing my kids who live local. I miss having my grandchildren overnight. There's sadness in the air.
I really miss not being able to go to a building we call church and seeing my church family and encouraging one another face-to-face. I miss my ladies Bible study. There's sadness in the air.
So, I do what Elizabeth Elliot always said, "Just do the next thing." While listening to uplifting music on the radio, I unload the dishwasher, clean a bathroom, do laundry, make dinner, sew facemasks, pray, pray, pray and go to my part time job.
I would encourage people to listen to Max Lucado, Tony Evans, Prisclla Shirer, Beth Moore, Charles Stanley, and Franklin Graham. There are many Christian singers who are doing live concerts from their homes that are very uplifting.
Yes, there is sadness in the air, but "Jesus is as near as your next breath." (Lucado) There is always hope. Keep the faith everyone!🙏
(I just reread what I wrote and I've got myself in tears and you know what, that's ok. There's sadness in the air...God's got this.)
Oh my! I agree with everything you wrote again today Debra. Our freedoms are being taken away and people seem okay with it. If you would have told people in January that they would be willing to live like this in April they would have denied it vehemently. I found myself in tears reading Robins comment. There is definitely sadness in the air. But God is greater than all of this. We MUST always remember that fact.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
Michigan's governor is not just saying seeds and anything to make a garden or do your lawn is "non essential' so can't be bought.it is also paint and many other items. Then to add insult to that she now will not let seeds or plants from other states enter Michigan. So goodbye to ordering seeds from a seed company etc. Is she trying to make it so she has to feed her whole state at some point? With food levels down and the weather not cooperating to plant again this year people want to grow some of their own food. But no. That is now allowed. Really???....
ReplyDeleteTonight on Fox they had a debate with another governor. He was asked if he thought about Constitutional rights of people when he made orders for no church services even if cars or people were kept 6' apart. No he said he did not think about the Constitution. Excuse me.. !
I can see where things Look like they should be done but should they? What will our normal look like now in our future ??? We in this generation and our grandchildren may have just witnessed the last time American will be as it was. In the future will they even understand how different we were if things continue to change so rapidly. .. ? Thank you for being honest and saying what you feel. I am sad as I dearly love what America stood for and could be. Things have changed as the years passed before but I still get teary eyed when I see our flag etc. They say A lot of countries and civilizations do not last longer than America has already. The changes outside of the virus have been coming little by little for so many years. One freedom gone, one honest person turned dishonest. What was wrong forever is now right to do, etc. Yes very sad. We were told we were put here for a time such as this... .. so what is our purpose since He choose to put each of us here at this time ? Sarah
Robin--thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's so true that as Christians we can make better choices and go on in joy. Our reactions really should reflect the huge God inside us--Jesus died to give us joy, and thus, our strength!
ReplyDeleteBetsy--it's so true that we wouldn't have believed this would happen had we heard it around January! It's been so wild seeing our rights stripped from us, the same ones we've known since we were children, ones guaranteed to us. But yes! God is greater and His ways in us and outside of us will overcome all this, right?
Sarah--you've asked many good questions! Your last one is the easiest one for me to answer. More than ever we need to do whatever it is God placed us here to do. Our callings, gifts, etc. will always transfer to whatever it is that needs doing. That will always mean a variety of ways of solving problems when you count us all. It should be a wonderful challenge to each of us to find exactly the way God wants us to do and give and react!
Thanks so much, Everyone! Blessings, Debra
Debra, I am still here and sorry I haven't been commenting as I should. I just didn't want you to think that you had said something that might have offended me because that is not the case at all. I pretty much have been limiting a lot of online time lately because I have been busy doing other things (working on making many crosses that can be given out/sent once this virus thing is over!)
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I agree with everything you said here as well. And, I heard that at one church that had a drive in service, that they were getting fined ONE THOUSAND dollars. That is absolutely CRAZY that they would get fined at all, let only being fined a thousand bucks. Ugh. Makes me so angry just to even think of it.
My love to you all. (Hugs)