Becoming HIS Tapestry

Christian Lifestyle Blogger

5 TIPS TO SURVIVE THESE DAYS

Hey friends, how are you today? How was your week? Did you miss me? I missed you guys.  I missed the encouragements and the happenings in your life.  So, how are you? What’s been going on in your life? Have you or someone you know been affected by COVID’19?

We’ve made three trips to Ohio in just about a  two-week period. We picked up the girls for spring break, took them back to school, went a few days later, to pick them up again.  This time, the universities and colleges were advised to close for at least two weeks due to the threat of the virus.  So presently, they’re completing their classes at home, which surprisingly, they do not mind.  I do not mind the change either, it’s almost like homeschooling all over, except I’m not responsible for their classes; a blessing for which I am very thankful.   I am very grateful that they’re home with us, during this pandemic. It helps with my control issues, except everyday proves I have so very little control, nor perhaps, do I want it.  

Do you suppose time teaches the Lord new information?  Perhaps time reveals knowledge to God? I wonder if God can learn.  Do you think time teaches the Lord of the Universe? It may be that this new pandemic has utterly surprised the Lord. Perhaps He fell asleep, just a brief nap, and chaos ensued unsuspectedly? Maybe He blinked? As time marches on, do the unfolding events make themselves known to the Lord, as it does to us? Sounds utterly ridiculous, doesn’t it?   We say, ‘God knows everything’, we say, ‘He is good’, we say, ‘He loves and cares for us’, but do we actually believe these words?   Are they true for us? 

Fear; a simple four-letter word.  According to our trusty Goggle dictionary, fear is ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat’.  Fear causes panic, fear can also cause us to react in an irrational manner.  Fear overrides truth; it is an unpredictable emotion that can cause us to run, screaming into the night or to be so petrified, we are literally immobilized.   Fear imagines the very worst of all the viable possibilities. Fear relieves us of hope and confidence.  Fear causes our heart rate to escalate and palms to sweat.  Fear is irrational and causes unsound judgement.  Fear causes panic.  And all of us, at one time or another, have and will experience this emotion in our lifetime.  

This new disease has caused an unprecedented fear among the folks, in our neck of the woods and in most of the world apparently. The shelves are practically empty in most of the local supermarkets, even at the wholesale retailers also.  I must admit, I do appreciate the precautions taken by those in authority.  I am thankful for the boundaries placed in our neck of the woods to protect us from this novel pandemic. 

As Christians, what are our options? What are we to do in light of this new (to us), virus? Here are five things we can do, during this time.  

Spend time with the Lord.  Talk to the Lord, we will tell Him of our fears (believe me, He already knows).  Ask the hard questions (but remember He does not owe us an explanation), He will always listen.  Then we open our Bibles and let Him remind us of Who He is ; of His goodness, His grace and mercy toward us.  He will bring that very needful comfort and peace and hope to our hearts.  Let us find rest in His arms, He is strong and powerful and mighty enough to hold and keep us.  

Follow the dictates of the government.  We will adhere to whatever precautions they put in place for our good and the good of others. Of course, obey the Word of God by also praying for our government and those in authority. 

This earthly life matters! Our lives matter; each life is a gift from God.  Let’s be careful, but not anxious; cautious but fearless, informed but even more knowledgeable of the promises found in the Word of God.  Faith over fear, right?

Avoid discrimination.  Blame-shifting is a sin of old, started with our first parents.  Blaming others for this situation is to remove the Lord from the equation and place it in the hands of mankind.  God does and He allows.  Our battle isn’t against people.  This is the perfect opportunity to put the love of God on display. We need to show kindness, extend more grace to others, especially during this time.  May the Lord be glorified in our lives.  

Surrender this moment to the Lord. Open palms, give it over to the One, Who is in control.  He did not abdicate His throne.  We have no control, we have no answers, but we serve the One, Who does.  Let us trust His love and lean on His promises.  Our Lord is great and mighty.  He is trustworthy.  

How are you doing? Really… How are you responding to this virus?

Let’s continue the conversation over on Instagram. Follow my Instagram and I will follow back, just let me know in the comment section. I would love to meet you 🙂

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
←
→

38 responses to “5 TIPS TO SURVIVE THESE DAYS”

  1. This post was so encouraging! I’ve been finding myself spending a lot of time in His word through this and when I’m studying I feel better, but still the frustration and fear does set in throughout the day. Thanks for this post it was an encouragement to remember that He is in control. 😄

    Like

    Reply

    • amen and amen 🙂 fear and frustration will perhaps always be with us, but when we are intentional, we remind ourselves of what we know to be true, instead of allowing the fear to consume us or control, Intentionality reminds us to trust the Lord

      Like

      Reply

  2. Hi Brenda,
    Thanks for liking my effort at poetry COVID-19 Isolated Meditation. Praise God for Christians everywhere.
    To answer your querry “Do you suppose time teaches the Lord new information? Perhaps time reveals knowledge to God? I wonder if God can learn. Do you think time teaches the Lord of the Universe? It may be that this new pandemic has utterly surprised the Lord. Perhaps He fell asleep, just a brief nap, and chaos ensued unsuspectedly?”

    No certainlt not or He would not be the God of the Bible. The Omni’s of God’s attributes are very comforting to the believer.
    Jefff

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. Yes I have definitely missed you! I was looking here and there for your post, glad to hear that you were shuffling family back and forth and did not have a catastrophic event in your life. Nice to have your family with you during these challenging times. We ran errands on this sunshiney last day of winter, expecting snow all day tomorrow and will not be going out much, anyway. Blessings to you and your family!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • 😀💐thank you so very much for the welcome back, I surely do appreciate it. It is definitely a blessing having the girls with us during this time. My heart and head needed the peace from that corner. May the Lord keep you and your safe during this time

      Like

      Reply

  6. Thank you for these tips Brenda! Spending time with the Lord certainly keeps our focus in the right place and our heart will stay at peace. Glad you’re enjoying extra time with your girls. Blessings and prayers to you and your family.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. I have been focusing on immune-boosting. As I already do online, I haven’t had a lot of changes in that sector of my life but, as a society, everything has definitely been altered. I am hopeful this dreadful situation will have a positive outcome in the long run. Blessings!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  9. God is in control! I have been fairly calm and peaceful for the most part, but there have been moments. God has been whispering to me from the beginning that we will be ok. He is in control and there is nothing to fear. Now, that doesn’t mean we are going out and about willy-nilly 🙂 We are staying home for the most part. We are being cautious. My husband is still working at the moment, but this may be the last week he is open for a while. We will see and are taking it day by day. Trusting God doesn’t mean we don’t use common sense 🙂 I am grateful that we are prepared to stay home. We have food, water, and shelter. Our local grocery store got completely wiped out. They are expecting a shipment at some point, but who knows how much of anything they are going to get. They aren’t even opening until later in the day. I am so grateful right now that we don’t have to go. Let others who need it get it. Glad to hear the girls are home with you right now. Stay safe and healthy my friend! God Bless!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Day by day; one day at a time, my friend. This situation can seem very scary, but for our hope in the Lord. Without the hope, we would be like a wave on the sea. Thankfully like you, we also bought earlier in the month, before the rush started. We will keep each other in prayers

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. Great post Brenda! And love the 5 tips, I’m glad the girls are at home with you during this time❤️ I feel peace about this whole deal but I think that’s what happens when you maintain a healthy relationship with God and trust in Him no matter what!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  17. Sage and calm wisdom, Brenda, and thank you.
    Glad you’ve got your girls with you. I know there is a difference between “controlling” and “knowing,” but sometimes it feels like the same thing. If you can’t control everything that’s happening with your girls/family, at least you can know what’s going on.
    I am re-posting this excellent post.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. Great post! This is a tough time, but God is in control and I believe that things will get better! We need to be praying for the government and every one affected by the virus. Fear will try to hold us down, but with God we can’t defeat fear!
    Thanks for such a great post!

    -Haley
    lifeoffaithbyhap.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.