There is a mourning taking place at all levels of people in the world. As the pandemic has moved through the world, people are experiencing loss on different levels and they don’t know how to react. This ranges from children who thought they would be going to school again and seeing their friends, experiencing football games, pep rallies, prom and graduation; to adults losing their jobs, losing their way of providing for their families and going on family trips. Most significant is the loss of life we have experienced this year. This pandemic has been around much longer than we expected but we must do everything necessary to protect ourselves and our loved ones. This pandemic season is a time we should seek the face of God like never before and not an avenue for depression or heartache. We need to use this time to be still and eventually get refreshed. We are going through a process in which things are being revealed about the level of greed in high level places, we have seen healing to the environment when we were on lockdown and more people have been praying for our country and world. There are unspeakable things happening where those we have entrusted to lead us are looking the other way. We are experiencing a lack of love for each other and people watching the number of deaths going up instead of trying to stop it in every way possible. This is not the first time in history that there will be a lockdown. There was a time of lockdown/shutdown in the bible. In Exodus when the 10 plagues were coming upon Egypt; before the 10 th plague, the children of Israel were told by God to stay in their homes until the plague passed over. All of the first-born children died that night except for those that had blood upon the doorpost. But anyone who was outside that night could have potentially died. There have been other pandemic’s that required shutdowns. The Spanish Flu of 1918 required American’s to shelter in place and to wear masks. That was the only defense from more deaths caused by the flu. Let us not lose faith in God. In the worst of times, we cannot forget where our strength comes from. We have to remember that God is in control and that we must look to the hills where our help comes from. I realize that everything I just said are common sayings people may utter when others come to them in the midst of a storm, but they are still relevant. Every word leads back to God and we must focus on what God is saying more than what we think or feel. It may not be easy, but it is necessary. God will help us to continue to walk by faith to lead us through. For this post I wish I have a relevant story to tell you, but I don’t. I am feeling the same way with some things I wanted to have happened this year that have to be changed or cannot be, but I still have hope that my plans for this year will happen at the right time which makes me know that due to the fact that I have to wait, they will be even better than I expected. My hope is in Christ. The bottom line is, there is so much to be grateful for in the midst of all of these negatives around us. We have reasons to be thankful and some of these reasons are the gift of life, our jobs, if we don’t have a job, we still have the ability to look, we still have family and friends – even if we can’t talk to them in person, we can still talk to them by phone or on zoom, we have food to eat, we have a place to live as it is getting colder and we still have the opportunity to believe and trust in God. Let us trust in God with all our heart and mind. Remain blessed, Patience

When it comes to problems do you feel like you are on an island and only these bad things are happening to you? I was going through some issues this week and I broke down about it all when a good friend said to me, the way I’m talking is like I’m the only person going through issues in this world. That things are happening to me and everyone else is immune from problems. I took those words/questions and begin to think. At first, I was so angry at my friend but then I thought about what was said. It took really caring about me to say anything and it took caring to show my own error on how I was feeling. So, my anger became appreciation for the truth being spoken and being able to see it. See there was a time when things felt like we were on an island. I had just bought my first home and my children were young. Franklin and Kathryn were in elementary school, Jessica was beginning middle school and Gina was in high school. The neighborhood was new, and we had a big snowstorm. We were bored in the house and I suggested we play baseball in the front yard. Well I should have gone over the rules before starting but they had been to baseball games. The broom was out bat, snowballs were the ball and we had bases. When we begin to play one of the kids hit the ball and took off running. Here is why I say I should have gone over the rules – I think it was Gina and she was tackled by her siblings. I began saying that’s not baseball. I didn’t realize some of our neighbors came out watching us play and they were laughing. But we ended up laughing at our play as well. We didn’t stop but after that play there was no more tackling. After playing for a while we were all cold and decided to go in, we waved to our neighbors as going in and they waved to us. It broke the ice and as the weather became warmer, we met more of the people who lived around us. There are always people around looking at us or facing issue peculiar to them. We are never alone! My point to all of this is even if you feel like you are on an island, you are not. I recently listened to a message from Steven Furtick. He is talking about our situation now and the pandemic. He said, “we are all going through this pandemic, but we are not in the same boat.” Meaning we are all going our individual struggles, but we don’t have the same struggles. His scripture was from Acts 27. In the sermon he talked about not letting a first storm that is not caused by you cause a second storm that is created by you. Because the second storm might be worse than the first. The first storm is creating by circumstances but the second is created by your actions. Let me give some context to this passage of scripture. Paul was a prisoner and they were going to be sailing to Rome. There was a storm coming and Paul suggested they not sail but again Paul is a prisoner and they did not listen to him plus were they were docked was not a place they wanted to spend their winter. (it was not a desirous place to winter). They sailed and the storm hit the ship they were on to the point the ship began to break apart. When the storm continued for many days the men and crew lost hope. An angel visited Paul one night and said they were not going to die but the ship would be destroyed. They were in the storm fourteen days before they got off the ship. The guards were going to kill the prisoners to prevent escape, but the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and stopped that plan. They cut the prisoners ropes loose on prisoners that could swim, had them jump overboard and the other prisoners were to get on planks and made it to shore. At some point they were giving up hope because they had been in the storm for so long and finally had they listened to the deceptive voices around them each they wouldn’t have made it. But they listened to what the angel told Paul and all lives were spared. Being on an island sometimes the only thing you listen to is the conclusions of what you see. We must not do that because who you listen to during times of testing is just as important as what you see. Focusing on your dreams and the things that are in the future are what you need to focus on and that the assurance from God that you will make it through. I had to remember that – and my friend reminded me of all that this week. So, you are not an island, you may be going through a storm but many of us are, just not the same storm. Hold tight to what the Lord God is saying to you and speak positive things for your life and future.  Remain Blessed, Patience