"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” --- Esther 4:14
******
So last week Tom and I figured nearly 4 months ago the world changed and-not-for-the-better. One-third of a year, can you believe it?
Perhaps you can. Every moment has probably felt eternal if--mostly--you've:
Felt sad. Overwhelmed.
Complained. Consistently name-called rioters and others.
Yearned for the Good Old Days.
Repeatedly stated, "Maybe this'll all be over next week."
But hey, good news! Alternatives exist. Always.
Especially when we've got the Holy Spirit living inside (plus a guardian angel or 2) nudging us with, "For heaven's sake, give us stuff to do! Something to supernaturally help you with. We're bored already."
シ
These past nearly 4 months? Oh, the possibilities for action to:
Return to fervent prayer.
Become acquainted with our neighbors.
Finally learn to become preppers. How to store food, water and all that one needs in times of crisis.
Read Bible portions where similar times as ours occurred.
Discover the preachers, teachers and pundits sent here to encourage us for these exact moments.
Start a garden.
Buy groceries/supplies in an orderly fashion from lists. Create ways to store them for easy access.
Become more self-sufficient, less dependent upon this failing world.
Learn our nation's history.
Fight for what we believe. Push back the darkness.
Start a group to help us stand for truth.
Start a group to help us stand for truth.
Become more bold. Courageous. Determined.
Learn how to better cook. Make meal lists/plans so to simplify things.
Create a savings plan.
If a post/video blesses you, share it!
If a post/video blesses you, share it!
Encourage those who are flailing.
Encourage those who are fighting.
Boycott a business who pushes what we feel is wrong. Frequent a business which we want to survive.
Boycott a business who pushes what we feel is wrong. Frequent a business which we want to survive.
Do the tasks around the house we've procrastinated for years.
Give more. Your local food pantry is a good place to begin.
Improve upon our special set of skills. Our gifts, our callings.
Learn how to mend clothes.
Find kindred spirit Youtubers to encourage us in our journey.
Speak light into the darkness at every God-nudge.
Speak light into the darkness at every God-nudge.
And this, being only a blog post not a book, I'll stop there. But seriously, we're limited only by our imagination, our lack of listening to the Holy Spirit and our fear.
Fear ruins everything, as does discouragement. Both paralyze us into wimping-out as non-doers.
Please don't let either ruin you at the time God intended you to shine. With His glory. For seriously, you were born for such a time as this.
No really, you were.
"Focus on the solutions more than the problems!" ---copied
**********
And I'll end this with a mini-post--
Some folks who're struggling the most mentally? Those who haven't made-up their minds. Rather like this:
"Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing." ---1 Kings 18:21
As James 1:8 says? A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Please make firm decisions, God-led ones about subjects like these, below. You'll notice a difference in your emotions: I guarantee it.
The intentions of your local government.
The mandates on mask-wearing.
Social distancing.
School children having to mask-up and stay 6 feet apart.
Churches being told to stay closed or not to sing if they do meet.
Rioting, looting, burning down businesses for any reason.
Any group which preaches against the nuclear family.
Any group teaching one race needs to apologize for their ancestors.
Any group leading its followers to disobey what the Bible teaches.
Hear from God.
Know.
Be certain.
And you'll find calmness even in the storm, even while fighting for truth.
******
"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might... Do not let your heart be troubled ..." --- Ephesians 6:10, John 14:1
What a POWERFUL post! I appreciate all the practice ideas.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post. I bought lots of canned goods and staples over the past few months in my grocery pickups. Now we've sold our house and moving into a travel trailer. I'm at a loss what to do with all of that food. Until winter it will be okay in our storage unit and then we have to figure something out. I'm not sure what yet....
ReplyDeleteTake care my friend.
Blessings,
Betsy
It's so important for us to remain positive, especially when the world around us is struggling. One way to do that is to do all that we can to get our homes and our lives in order. Great lists, Debra! Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteRebecca--than-you so much! I wanted to keep us all busy with good things. :)
ReplyDeleteBetsy--oh my! I've seen lots of videos over at Youtube which show some pretty wild ways of storing food in small homes. I've tried a few and have come up with my own ideas which would make most people laugh, but that's ok. These days it's vital to keep as much food on hand as possible. I know you can come up with some brilliant ideas!
Pam--yes! Now more than ever we need to stay close to God and view what's going on His way and that will keep us positive. So much to do these days to keep our house in order in all ways, right?
Thanks so much, Ladies! Blessings, Debra