Some Bright Spots Amidst the Crisis

Hey, friend.

I just wanted to send you a note to tell you that, even though you’re probably quite isolated right now, you are seen and known in these weird, weird times. It feels like all the emails I’ve gotten in the past few days have started with “unfortunately.” And, ugh, who wants to read another “hot take” analysis when none of us have been through something like this before?

But I have seen some bright spots in all this that I wanted to share.

-There are some beautiful opportunities right now to love others well. Teaching your grandparents how to use Walmart Grocery Pickup could literally save their lives, and at the very least give them access to snacks they’ve run out of. Playing board games with your kids when you previously “never had time” might make this season one they actually look back on with warmth and gratitude. Even the act of sending a text to a friend who feels weighed down by the lack of school or losing her job or having to fire her employees…letting her know that you’re thinking of her and you’re sad with her can mean a lot. And remember that praying for our friends actually does something every time, even when we don’t know how to pray (see Romans 8:26.)

-I’ve found out some cool things that some authors I love are doing. Starting Friday at 7 pm central, every night Andrew Peterson will be reading his family-friendly fantasy novel On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness on Facebook Live. (It will be recorded for a few days after.) Jennifer Trafton, who has written some wondrously whimsical and beautiful books, will be reading a chapter of Henry and the Chalk Dragon every morning at 10 am central starting tomorrow (Thursday); the videos will also stay on her page for a bit. I’ve been taking a break from social media, but I plan on using my husband’s account to get to watch these with my kids.

-The coronavirus has slowed pollution in China, which researches are saying could’ve saved the lives of tens of thousands of people! I’m not trying to find a singular “silver lining” or say “this is why God let this happen.” But is it the worst thing that the whole world has been humbled and that we’re all learning to live more simply and come together? I’ve honestly been really surprised and encouraged by the government’s unified response in all this, with quite minimal blame-shifting and a greater focus on how to help the people of our nation. It seems like nearly every country is scrambling to do what’s best for its people as well as they know how.

–Psalm 46 has been sweeter than ever this month and I can’t encourage you enough to memorize it. It feels like the mountains are being moved into the sea and the whole world is falling apart. The kingdoms are actually tottering. But God is in our midst. He is with us. We will not be moved. (If you need help with memorization, the Bible Memory App is a super wonderful tool! And Shane and Shane’s song about Psalm 46 is soooo good!)

I want to encourage you to let yourself daydream about how God might be using this awful time to answer so many prayers. Even your prayers. Nothing is wasted.
Especially since my husband owns a small business and we absolutely love every single employee who relies on us for income, please trust me when I say this has been a really painful time. I don’t take any of it lightly. There’s a time to mourn, and to mourn with those who mourn.
But I also believe God when He says His will for our lives is that we are grateful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18.)

I also love what John Piper has said (and the 66 books of the Bible from which he got this idea): “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.“

I hope some of that is encouraging

If God sees and cares about every single time that a bird dies, he certainly sees and cares about all the stress this virus has brought to your life.
You are seen. You are loved. He is working!

Love,
Hope