Author: writingfree1

My dream is to help people develop a contentment and excitement in everyday life through my blogging and novel writing. I will be using my own day-to-day experiences to bring hope to my readers.

Categories
Wisdom Wednesday

Favor or Punishment?

I wrote this post in 2019 but never uploaded it. God’s favor has been with us through some crazy times, and this post was a good reminder to me that His favor doesn’t always look like how we expect. Enjoy, and God bless!

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The day after I experienced the favor of God in parable form, I woke up to a cold shower, snow, and a husband who needed to be to work 1.5 hours early. How could I still have God’s favor, even in the midst of these trials?

That’s when I learned my second lesson about favor: Favor does not always look like we expect.

Let’s start from the beginning. We have the favor of God because of the work that Jesus did for us on the cross. Because of the sacrifice of God’s Son, we have eternal life, and an abundant life that we can live now. The favor that is described in the Bible has little to do with material possessions. It really describes our relationship with God, that God is now pleased with us, and that He wants to grow us into efficient, joyful children that produce His fruit.

When we talk about favor, we usually think of Romans 8:28 — “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). Romans 8:29, the verse right after it, says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (NIV). God’s plan for us is not to have all the money in the world, all the status, or even all the power. God’s plan for us is to be like Jesus. That’s what God’s favor is.

One example of a human experiencing God’s favor in the Bible is Mary. The angel Gabriel said that Mary was highly favored with God, and that she was blessed among women (Luke 1:28). However, I’m sure she didn’t feel the favor of God when she had to tell her husband she was pregnant, and when she had to live with the ridicule of people not understanding the power of God at work in her life. And having been pregnant, I’m sure she wouldn’t have been thinking God’s favor was with her as she experienced morning sickness and all the other uncomfortable symptoms that come with carrying a child! Of course, the miracle inside her womb was the greatest blessing we could ever imagine, but to Mary, in that moment, it probably didn’t seem that way.

If she had favor the way that we view favor, her husband wouldn’t have sought to divorce her. If she had favor the way that we view favor, she wouldn’t have given birth where people fed their animals. If she had favor the way that we view favor, she wouldn’t have had to run from King Herod, who wanted every baby boy under the age of two killed. If she had favor the way that we view favor, she wouldn’t have lost her twelve-year-old son when He was in the temple.

God’s favor is God’s grace. The moment that brought you the deepest shame, in Christ, will be the moment where you’ve experienced the greatest grace. The moment where you’ve hit rock bottom is where you discover that God is everything you need. The moment you realize you have a debt you can’t pay is the moment you realize that God has credited righteousness to those who trust in His promises (see Romans 4).

Whether you’re in a good or bad season, God’s favor is with you.

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” – Isaiah 58:11

Categories
Book Update

The Question Answered in “In Real Life”

As you know, I published my first novel, In Real Life, in May 2021. If you haven’t read it, I bet you’re thinking what’s it about? Well, it’s about an Internet shutdown, but it’s more than that. It’s about the question I always want to answer in my books, and the question most of us have been asking ourselves over the last few years: Where is the God of hope when hope is lost?

When I became interested in reading dystopian fiction, I began to wonder where God is in each story. If Winston Smith in 1984 had the mind of Christ, how would he have handled the brainwashing? If Offred and the others in A Handmaid’s Tale really grew up in a Christian society governed by the Bible, how would it have affected her prayers and given her freedom? And, from my memories of reading The Hunger Games, there are strong elements of humans trying to replace God, and then trying to usurp evil without the help of God.

In Real Life is about a woman, Lin, who isolates herself from the world. In fact, everyone in 2100 connects to others through social media, and it’s not really necessary to leave the house. But when the government shuts down the Internet, Americans are left to wonder, now what? Money is gone. Food is inaccessible. And any connections you had with your friends are no longer possible.

When I originally wrote this book, I could’ve never imagined that the real world would be going through its own shutdown at the same time. I’ve always heard of potentially bad things happening “in the future,” and I never bothered to think about them happening in my lifetime. And now that they have, I have a new hope in God and a renewed perspective of His character.

In the book, Lin winds up back at her parents’ house and eventually meets her ex-husband again. In a society that believes “we live and then we die,” the idea of God or the hope of the resurrection wasn’t even on her mind. Without spoiling too much from the book, Lin encounters God through ways we can meet Him too: testimonies, dreams, nature, and fellowship. Even when she completely hides herself from others, God reaches into her little corner of the world and gives her hope like no other.

We’re not meant to live life alone, and people can encourage us when we feel like there’s no hope. But even when we are physically alone, while living in isolation, God is with us, and He remains faithful in the midst of chaos.

So, whether you read my book or not, I want you to know that the God of hope is with you. Even when you don’t see hope on social media or on TV or in conversations with your friends, may this post remind you that the eternal God of hope has a glorious plan for this world, and nothing can stop it.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

Categories
Encouragement Marriage

Overlooking the little things

And we’re back for another episode of “What’s going on in my life?” Except I’ve been so busy that I’m not writing about what’s going on in my life. This is a Marriage-Monday-on-a-Wednesday post I wrote in September 2019 but never shared. After reading it, I felt encouraged, so I hope it encourages you as well!

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I always make a joke that my husband leaves his socks on the floor. This is something he actually never does, but there are little quirks of his that annoy me. So as to not embarrass him, and to show respect to him, I’m not going to share those quirks, but I am going to talk about how those quirks make me feel. I feel like he doesn’t listen to me. I feel like I’m wasting my time. I feel like what’s important to me isn’t important to him.

But when I think about it, the “little things” that annoy me aren’t as important to me as Lenny is to me.

I finished a Bible plan on YouVersion (“Living Room Reset” by Kirk Cameron) with some of my friends from church. On the third day, Cameron shares a story about a man who was annoyed that his wife left her slippers on the floor every single day. It would drive him crazy. It annoyed him every day of their marriage, until the day that she passed away. After that, he wished he would trip over her slippers, because that would mean she was still around to leave them there.

Sure, Lenny and I may bicker or get on each other’s nerves, but what really matters? That we’re still together. That he’s still around. That I’m still around. And that we’re seeking to honor God in our marriage.

Because we’re both busy in this season, we’re finding that a lot more is annoying us about each other. We seem to be snippy with one another (OK, I’ll admit it, I get snippy with Lenny because that’s how I handle stress), and there is literally friction between us. But we’ve forgotten that we’re busy because we’re building our lives together for each other. We’re working to make sure we have enough money to go on vacations and take care of our son and fulfill our dreams. To get annoyed that we’re getting in the way of doing our daily tasks is so backwards, because the daily tasks we’ve taken on are for the sake of each other!

Generally speaking, if you’re in a busy season with your spouse, you need to overlook the little things. You need to decide that your spouse is more important than whatever you have on your to-do list today. If your husband had a rough day at work and needs to vent, put down the book and let him vent, especially if he’s like my husband and chooses his words very carefully! If your wife comes to you crying and she confesses that she doesn’t feel good enough, take your eyes off the television and look into hers. Aside from God, your spouse should be your number-one priority.

So the next time your spouse leaves his socks on the floor, or he leaves his dish in the sink instead of putting it in the dishwasher, or she decides to have a deep conversation with you when you’re about to go to bed…just remember that the one you said your vows to on your wedding day, on one of the most important days of your life, is doing life with you now. He is still your prince charming. She is still your princess. You are still meant for each other, even when life happens.

Categories
anxiety

Rediscovery

It’s been a while.

Over the last couple of months, a few people have been asking me if I still write. The answer is yes, although I haven’t been sharing publicly.

First of all, in case you haven’t heard, I published my first book last May. In the meantime, I also had a baby boy last June, so my marketing has been lacking to say the least. Thanks to those who have purchased In Real Life and shared about it with others.

After all that these past few years have been for all of us, on top of me and my husband buying a house, on top of getting pregnant (which was anxiety-inducing just as much as it was joyful), on top of having a traumatic birth experience, on top of struggling through the sleep/eat/poop schedule of a newborn, on top of resigning from my full-time position and navigating stay-at-home mom life, on top of discovering my son in a new and exciting way through early toddlerhood…

I’m finally feeling like myself again.

Only I’m not myself. At least, I’m not the person I was before the pandemic started. Truthfully, for me, the pandemic (besides all the scary stuff) was a time of reflection and much-needed solitude. I took part in some rest and learned boundaries while also making time for my beloved friends and family. I learned the value of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual rest on a whole new level. I learned the weight that stress heaves over us, and how even outside experiences (such as current events) can deeply affect us on an intimate, personal level.

So, join me, if you will, as I rediscover myself first and foremost as a follower of Christ, born again in Him, and also how that affects me as a mother, as a wife, as a homeowner, as a member of a suburban community, as a New Yorker, as an American.

For those who are brand-new to the blog, welcome! And for those tried-and-true friends who have been around here for a while, thanks for your support and encouragement. According to the stats on my page, I’m seeing that people have still been viewing my posts consistently even though I haven’t written anything in a while.

God bless, and have a great day! See you next week.

Categories
Books

Book Review: The Snuggle Is Real

I received a complimentary copy of the book The Snuggle Is Real by Melinda Lee Rathjen, illustrated by Krystyna Litten. I was not obligated to write a positive review. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Since becoming a mother, I’ve made more of a priority of reading (as if that were possible!) especially for my little one. My son is currently six months old, and he loves looking at colorful books and turning the pages all on his own. My husband and I took turns reading this book to our little one, and we both enjoyed it! It may be too soon for him to tell us, but I believe our son loved it too.

The Snuggle Is Real.

First of all, I love the title. A kid who would be reading this book probably wouldn’t understand the reference, but the parents definitely would. It’s an excellent comeback to the true phrase, “the struggle is real.” In and of itself, that phrase reminds us to be honest with our emotions, that life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. But even when life isn’t going our way, another truth remains: we’re loved, and a hug can make a big difference in how we feel.

Even though my six-month-old son enjoyed it, the book is probably better suited for 1-4 year olds, who are going through these big feelings and don’t know how to process them yet. I love the message that we can ask for help and get a hug, whether we’re happy, sad, angry or disappointed. The publisher is faith based, and this book doesn’t mention God, but I believe it still carries an excellent message for kids to bring into their adulthood. If they have the tools to live emotionally healthy lives, and they have parents who love them unconditionally, they’re more likely to be emotionally healthy adults and have a positive relationship with their Heavenly Father.

The Snuggle Is Real is available this week. Check out WorthyKidz for more information!

Categories
anxiety

God Is

Well, after a crazy couple of months, I’m back. This season has been incredibly hard for me. I know it’s been hard for a lot of you, but just because we’ve all gone through it, doesn’t mean it’s any easier for me. My story is valid because it’s my story.

At the beginning of March, before I knew the extent of all COVID would be for our world, I was thriving. Alone time was amazing. I could finally write and do everything I was pushing off. I could finally prove that God IS hope in the midst of hopeless situations.

Suddenly, the phrase “new normal” came into our vocabulary, and I realized that this wasn’t a temporary blip in history. This was a life-changing, catastrophic event that would affect every person on the planet. And suddenly, I didn’t have all the answers. I didn’t have the perfect Instagram post or Tweet to comfort anyone. I could barely comfort myself.

But I know the One who knows the future. I know the One who WRITES the future. And I realized just this week, after hitting a wall at the end of April, that I literally had the weight of the world on my shoulders instead of trusting God to fight my battles for me.

It’s been hard to open up WordPress and write anything public. My journal has been FILLED with my prayers, thoughts, feelings…the good, bad, and ugly. And after looking back at my journal entries from a few months ago, I realize that God has been faithful to comfort me and equip me for this very moment.

This past Sunday, I listened to a sermon by Pastor Robert Madu, who was guest speaking at Life Church. At the beginning of the message, he confessed that he was telling God that he didn’t ask for any of this. God reminded him that in the beginning of the year, Pastor Robert asked for more of God, whatever it takes to get closer to Him. Well, God answered his prayer, but not in the way that he expected.

That line spoke to me. What did I ask God for in the beginning of this year? God’s word for me this year was “holy.” I didn’t understand it, and I didn’t like it. It wasn’t a trendy word, like “adventure” or “success.” It was something I couldn’t do on my own, something that forced me to rely on Him. After all that’s happened this year, I’ve learned that God is the ONLY one I can rely on.

I wanted to share some of what I learned and prayed for at the beginning of 2020. My hope in sharing is that you would be encouraged that life will go on after COVID is over. Sure, we’ll have to face “a new normal,” but were we even happy with the “old” normal? (I know I wasn’t). What is normal, anyway?

So, without further ado, here are some lines from my journal for each day of January (except for some days where I didn’t write). If you all like it, I’ll share my journal entries from February and March:

January 1st: “God is a dreamer.”

January 2nd: “God is leading me, and this is the year when my faith in Him will grow…He’s calling the body back to Himself, and I’m included.”

January 3rd: “God is the God of the plains. We crave mountaintop experiences and fear valley experiences, but most of our lives are in the middle” (inspired by a YouVersion plan about holiness).

January 4th: “God is holy, pure, ‘other.’ When you come in contact with a holy person or thing, you can defile him if you are unclean. But Jesus was able to touch sick people and make them clean” (inspired by the Bible Project’s video on kadash).

January 5th: “God grows me in the season of waiting. And in the year where all my dreams are coming true, I want to even see God work in my everyday life.”

January 7th: “To be holy means to be set apart from sin for the purpose of serving and/or bringing glory to God” (inspired by notes from the Zondervan NIV Study Bible).

January 8th: “God loves us too much to leave us as we are” (inspired by a sermon preached by Pastor Steve at LFCC’s Young Adult Ministry)

January 11th: “God will prove Himself holy” (based on Ezekiel 36:23).

January 12th: “The waiting period is an opportunity to learn what God says and what we need to do” (inspired by a sermon preached by Pastor Ed at LFCC).

January 14th: “Thanks be to God that we can be holy by His grace. Amen!”

January 16th: “GOD IS SO GOOD! I’m trusting Him for the battles bigger than me” (inspired by a sermon preached by Pastor Steven Furtick at Elevation Church).

January 19th: “Let God show you the potential of what you have. When God calls you to do something, He provides the resources” (inspired by a sermon from Pastor Ed at LFCC).

January 20th: “It amazes me that God calls us holy people, but we’ll never be perfect until we die. I guess God sees us from an eternal perspective. He sees us how we were destined to be.”

January 21st: “We are a dwelling place for God.”

January 22nd: “Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light” (inspired by a sermon preached by Pastor Steve at LFCC).

January 23rd: “God will take your greatest hurt and make it your greatest ministry.”

January 25th: “I know this is hard but I can’t take the way we’ve been over the years. Our schedules are consuming us and I really hope something changes when we get a house” (to say the least, being in quarantine has allowed Lenny and I to get some wonderful quality time together!).

January 26th: “Don’t have a short memory when it comes to what God has done” (inspired by a sermon preached by Pastor Ed at LFCC).

January 27th: “Holy humans are set apart by God for His special use. While He owns everything, some people and places He reserves in a special way” (inspired by notes from the Zondervan NIV Study Bible).

January 28th: “I’m trusting God to heal and restore me. Whatever that looks like” (I started 2020 with some health challenges. Thank God that He got all of them out of the way before New York became a hot spot for COVID or else I wouldn’t have been able to go to the doctor as often as I did).

January 30th: “We need the support of others to wake us up.”

January 31st: “God is telling me to be still and focus on the present. To be thankful for what I have now. At one point, I considered the things that annoy me now as blessings from God, and I prayed for them.”

On that note, I encourage you to be thankful even for this season. It’s hard, but it will bring you closer to God. If you need help, please reach out. I may not have all the answers, but I know what it’s like to handle scary situations alone. Let me tell you, it’s much better with help!

God bless!

Your turn:

What has God taught YOU during this season? (Comment below!)

Categories
anxiety

5 Tips for Surviving a Dystopia

During this time in quarantine, some of you may feel like we’re living in the end times. Whether or not I believe the end is near is for another post, but those of us who are speculative fiction/dystopian/post-apocalyptic readers are well prepared for this kind of thing.

If you’re scared, don’t worry. George Orwell, Suzanne Collins, and even Disney have taught us plenty about how to survive a dystopia. While some of this post is meant to be funny, I hope you can find some nuggets to chew on and get through this difficult time.

1. Get a Pet

Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games) has a cat, and she survives all three Hunger Games. Wall-E has a cockroach, and he’s successful in saving EVE and bringing the humans back to Earth. Winston Smith (1984) doesn’t have a pet, and he succumbs to the psychological trickery of Big Brother. So, to stay sane, you obviously need a pet.

You need an animal that’s totally oblivious to the craziness so you can remember that there’s life outside of a virus, a totalitarian government, or world war. Even when the world is falling apart, all Fido seems to care about is chasing that squirrel up a tree. Despite the inconsistent weather outside, the birds are chirping as if it’s a beautiful, sunny day. Sometimes, we need a reminder of the simple things we take for granted.

2. Do Not Believe Everything You See and Hear in the News

In 1984, the main character, Winston Smith, works for the records department of the Ministry of Truth, and his job is to literally rewrite history and the media to make Big Brother seem like the all-knowing, all-powerful figurehead that has led the country in conquering other nations. As a writer in today’s day and age, it saddens me that there are many “Winstons” in our current media. Not all journalists and reporters are bad, but please be aware that “fake news” is out there. With the right editing tools, anyone can make anything look real.

My journalism teacher in high school told me to “beware the one-sourced story.” If you see a meme or a headline, even if it seems like it’s true to you because it caters to your opinions and desires, fact check it like crazy. Google “Did that really happen?” or “Did he really say that?” Look up the original video, article, transcript, photo, etc and analyze it. Use your senses to detect the body language, tone of voice, and details “between the lines.”

To find out if a source is telling the truth, consider their motivation for writing. We’re in an election year in the United States. Now is the perfect time for political campaigns to use what’s going on to talk about how well (or how not-so-well) the government is handling the virus.

Look at the funding behind the organization that put out this article, or what the company sells. If you happen to find a source that purely speaks the truth without any bias or agenda, share it with others. Don’t believe everything you hear, read, or watch on the Internet.

3. Stay Connected to Your Family

Early dystopian novels feature societies where families are separated. In fact, it was one of the main themes of Brave New World. These stories will mention parents and children because you can’t avoid the fact that you came from a human or that a human came out of you (except in Brave New World, where babies are created in factories).

If you pay attention, you’ll notice that family relationships aren’t great in these stories. In A Handmaid’s Tale, women give birth, but have to give up their children to their host family. Usually, the main character lives alone, with little mention of his or her family. In YA dystopian fiction, the main character will often have a sibling that encourages them, like Primrose Everdeen in The Hunger Games and Reed Blackwater in the Out of Time series, but they are usually separated for the majority of the book/series.

The lack of family makes the dystopia even worse because the main character gets inside their own head. During the quarantine, unfortunately, we’ve had to separate from our families. For me, this is the part of the whole COVID-19 situation that’s most like a dystopia for me. This virus has created (or heightened) our distrust of our family members. We’ve been stuck inside our own heads, first for the sake of our elders who we may accidentally give the virus, but now out of fear that our loved ones are now “unsafe” to us.

To survive a dystopia, do everything you can to stay connected to your families. Call them every once in while to see how they’re doing. Video chat. Invite them over your house and sit outside or in the driveway. Show them you care. Invest in people who care about you.

4. Remember That You Can Change the Narrative

Dystopian fiction became popular in the 1920s and 1930s because of political unrest and economic turmoil. Despite many of the details in these books becoming true, they were never meant to predict the future. Rather, they were meant to warn their readers of what could happen if we as people don’t take action.

Brave New World and 1984 came challenge totalitarian government that was popular in other nations around the world. The Hunger Games reveals the evils of self-indulgence. Wall-E is a warning to take care of planet Earth, or else we will have to live on a ship, floating through outer space. These stories weren’t saying, “This will be our future”; they were saying, “This can be our future, if we don’t do something.”

Katniss takes action in The Hunger Games by volunteering as tribute and surviving, even when everyone in District 12 starts the book practically writing her funeral. Parvin Blackwater in A Time to Die (disclaimer: I only read the first book so far of this series!) takes action by writing an autobiography that exposes the insanity of banishing people who lost their clocks.

Will we let our circumstances dictate our future, or will we take ownership of our lives? This is our world. How do you want it to look? What does a right world look like? To survive a dystopia, don’t let your negative circumstances define you. Use them to inspire you to take action to make things right.

5. Pray for God to Bring His Utopian Plan to Earth

When we think of the end times, we think of Armageddon. We think of massive viruses wiping out populations and natural disasters killing our crops. But that is not the end of the story.

In the beginning, when God created man and woman, He gave us dominion over the earth. At the end, after the destruction, there is redemption. God creates a new heaven and a new earth. Read Revelation 21 and 22 to see the beauty that awaits us.

It’s not a faraway place that John sees in his vision. What he sees is a prediction of the renewal of where you’re sitting right now. In the end, God will dwell on Earth with us. Heaven and Earth will become one.

If you think about it, the world isn’t getting worse. It’s getting better. And since WE have dominion over the earth, WE have the power to make it a better place. But we need God’s help, His perfect wisdom, to guide us in our rebuilding process, so that we don’t mess it up like we did the first time.

So, to survive a dystopia, pray that God would equip us to make a utopia out of our hopeless situation. Pray that God would take what the enemy meant for evil and use it for our good. Pray that in the midst of a deadly virus, in the midst of a world war, in the midst of a natural disaster, that we can have hope in our inevitable future with God.

Amen.

If you read dystopian fiction, I’m in the pitching process of publishing my debut novel, In Real Life. To receive dystopian short stories and updates about my book, you can subscribe here.

Categories
anxiety

What Time Is It?

The days, weeks, and months seem to blend together these days. We’ve been asking ourselves, “What time is it?” “What day is it?” “How am I feeling in the midst of it?”

In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 King Solomon writes that there is a time for everything. In each and every season of our lives, we have a response. But as a result of reading this passage in Scripture, I have to ask, What season are we in now?

Everything Under the Sun

If you ask everyone on this planet how they’re responding to the coronavirus, to being in quarantine, to losing loved ones, to living alone…we’d all have different answers. In the beginning, I struggled with guilt because I was actually enjoying some time off from driving, and embracing this new season of much-needed time with my husband (and myself!). I was actually hopeful that God could use this virus and turn this quarantine into a way to draw us back to Himself.

But this virus has affected all of us differently. Some of us are rejoicing, while some of us are grieving. Some of us live alone, while others wish they did. Some of us are mourning loved ones who have passed, while others are celebrating the births of their babies. Some of us are consumed by work, while others are thankful for time with their families.

While I always have something positive to say, this trial we’re all facing has taught me to be sensitive to the needs of others. There have been days where I’ve struggled to even have a word of encouragement. But in those moments, I’ve also learned to rely on God, because He is the ultimate encourager.

A Time to Mourn AND a Time to Dance

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I closed on our home, after months of waiting for a mortgage application and after years of praying and saving practically every penny we own. We were so excited, we danced and jumped for joy as we moved into this answer to prayer.

When I opened that first box the day before our furniture arrived, I felt a wave of panic and….sadness? How could I be sad when we could finally see the culmination of all our prayers and hard work? This is everything I’ve wanted for the last three years, even before my husband and I were married. Why was I fighting back tears at this new blessing, after years of hopping from apartment to apartment, waiting for a place to call our own?

I didn’t understand how I felt until I saw it through the eyes of a TV character.

On a recent episode of a show we watch, a couple had just bought a home, but one of them had a hard time enjoying it. Their real estate agent and family member encouraged this person to properly say goodbye to his old home.

At first, he thought it was strange, but as he spent time alone “with his old house,” he realized how important it was to relive old memories and appreciate what the house contributed to his life. While it was all meant to be comedic, it spoke volumes to me about this current season of my life.

It’s possible to be happy and sad about my current situation, because I’m both gaining and losing.

We Need to Let Go to Move Forward

Moving is a change. My life has been a constant change. As a world, we are all feeling a change taking place.

Change is good. I need to believe that. We need to believe that.

Before all this happened, I felt discontent and lonely. I was overwhelmed with activities and work and my life was just one big obligation to take care of everyone but myself. Though my schedule was full, I was empty.

I needed change. But when the whole world literally shifted, I wasn’t ready, and I didn’t like it.

When we ask God for change, we come with our expectations. The change I was looking for was more money, more time, or boldness to say no when I needed to take care of myself. I wanted more space to live in, more convenience, more of the good things in my life and less of the bad.

But in asking for all of these things, I never asked for more of God, but that was what He wanted for me. So, His answer to my prayer was much different from what I expected.

To make room for this new blessing, the answer to my prayers, I have to let go of what was lost. In order to embrace the now, I have to lay down the expectations I had and seek the Lord in the midst of my emotions.

Friends, this isn’t a pause; this is life. We are never going “back to normal”; we are embracing a new normal.

As we walk through this difficult time, as crazy as it is, God is faithful and unchanging, yet He is calling us to a new thing. The world is being turned upside down, and we’re seeing a revival. In order to be ready for this new season, no matter how good it is, we have to mourn what we’ve lost.

Today, lay down your expectations for how you wanted 2020 to look, and embrace what God has for you. Take as much time as you need to grieve what you’ve lost: cry, scream, jump up and down, write in your journal. Then turn to God, who truly has a 2020 vision, for instructions on this next chapter of your life.

Categories
Encouragement

5 Habits to Keep After COVID-19

It’s been three weeks of social distancing and self-containment, and truthfully, I’m growing restless. But as I think of the world slowly transitioning back to reality in the coming weeks(or months?), I want to take advantage of the lessons I’ve learned in the midst of COVID-19.

As I’ve been praying about where God is in all of this, I’ve gotten the vision of a seed. Just as a seed is planted in the darkness, hidden yet nourished by the dirt, at the proper time, the seed grows into a strong oak tree that cannot be shaken. Seeds are being planted in this season, and in due time, we will reap a harvest (Galatians 6:9). Here are some seeds I pray will take root in the world, even when life goes “back to normal.”

1. We Keep Washing Our Hands

This is an obvious point, but I’m not just talking about physically. This virus has taught us to be more aware of how our actions, attitudes, and illnesses affect those around us. “If one member suffers, we all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

As a result of COVID-19, I pray that we remember to practice purity in our words and our actions. That we can remember the power of life and death that rests in the tongue, and that we would choose our words carefully. Though we shouldn’t distance or isolate ourselves, we should be wise in what we share with others.

2. We Stay Home When We’re Sick

During the beginning stages of the quarantine, we received an e-mail from a local business about their protocol to handle the virus, “Employees who don’t feel well will be required to stay home.” My inward response to that was, Shouldn’t that always be the case?

I confess that I’m guilty of going to work even when I struggle to get out of bed. I’m guilty of being scared to call my boss and tell them I’m too sick to come into work. When I do take a day off, I try to justify why it was the right thing to do instead of embracing rest. But this virus has taught me that going to work sick doesn’t help anyone. Especially not me.

As a result of COVID-19, I pray that we would see that our lives are more important than our salaries. That we would have the courage to admit when we genuinely shouldn’t go to work or participate in that event. Though we shouldn’t cheat the system, we should use the PTO time (or even the non-PTO time) given to us by our employers to refresh and restore ourselves, so we can return from our breaks as healthy, hardworking members of the company.

3. We Make Time to Rest and Grieve

During this quarantine, we’ve lost a lot. Seniors in high school and college have missed a chance to participate in graduation activities. Sports events have been cancelled. Some people have important events, like birthdays, weddings, baby and bridal showers, and welcoming new family members into the world.

Loss happens in this world, but when “life goes on,” the pain and grief we feel often gets pushed to the side. We have to put on a happy face and keep going. It doesn’t give glory to God to power through our pain. We need to be authentic.

As a result of COVID-19, I pray that when we’re going through seasons of difficulty in the future, the world would be forgiving and let us reflect on what we’ve lost. But even when it’s not, that we would be bold in our tears and pain, knowing that our Lord holds our tears in a jar and is with us in the pain.

4. We Keep Up the Relationships We’ve Cultivated (Including With Ourselves)

In this season of quarantine, we’re getting the opportunity to see our loved ones up close and personal. I’m personally thankful for the chance to spend more time with my husband, who has been working from home instead of driving an hour each day into work. I’ve genuinely enjoyed the video chats I’ve been a part of and the chance to get to know my friends “face-to-face.” I’ve also found a new love for myself, discovering gifts and passions that had yet to be awakened because of lack of time.

As a result of COVID-19, I pray that we will become so saturated in love for our friends and family that meeting with them would never be a burden. May we be free from obligations and instead invest in where we want to be. Though we should still go to work and participate in the world, we should intentionally carve out time to sit with our friends outside and laugh at the memories created during the quarantine. And that we can recognize that self care is just as important as pouring into the lives of others.

5. We Wait on the Lord

The whole world is in waiting right now, begging for this virus to stop wreaking havoc on our land. While the day we see a break will be glorious, it will not signal the end of all waiting. There will be many seasons where we’ll be crying out to God just as loudly as we all now, our voices straining in desperation to be set free from this wait.

We were in that season of waiting for a house for a long time. After weeks, months, and years of prayers, saving, and sacrifice, we are driving to the bank to close on our first home. As we live in our new house, our new house, we will never forget the prayers we’ve whispered in desperation to God, the promises that He can do the impossible, and the faithfulness that carried us to see the fulfillment of those promises.

The same God who met us in our need is the same God who is with us now. And He’s the same God who will be with us the next time we’re in a season of waiting.

As a result of COVID-19, I pray that we never waste the wait. I pray that we lean into God and bring the deepest cries of our hearts to Him. Even though it hurts, I fully believe that God hears our prayers and He draws near to us as we draw near to Him. May we never take His presence for granted, even when we get everything back that we lost in this season of waiting.

Amen.

If you are interested in fiction stories, check out the short story I wrote this week about how I believe God is working during our global quarantine period. You can subscribe to my e-mail list to have an encouraging short story sent to you every Monday morning.

Categories
Encouragement

It’s Time to Rest

I love my job. Working from home, writing thousands of words a day, learning a treasure trove of information, and being part of an uplifting team. At this job, I truly feel like I’m doing what God created me to do for this season. After each shift, I’m so excited and grateful that I have the opportunity to work in my dream career.

Except, why am I so tired?

I Experienced Burnout, Even in My Dream Job

Truthfully, my first month on the job was fun, but it was also information overload. As a result, I was tired. I could even say a felt a low grade of depression. For a couple of weeks I wondered, if this is my dream job and I’m depressed, did I follow the wrong dream?

Over time, I learned that I wasn’t in the wrong career. I was just burned out. Even though my job is exactly what I want to be doing, it was too much. I needed to make time to rest, especially since I hadn’t worked full-time in more than two years before this job.

We all need rest, even from good things. Just ask Elijah.

Elijah Was Burnt Out, Even in His Dream Job

Elijah was a powerhouse prayer warrior prophet for God. Everywhere he went, miracles followed. One of the most prominent miracles of God that he experienced was up against the prophets of Baal, a false god. You can read about it in 1 Kings 18. God shows up in a supernatural way, putting the doubt of all people to death. Oh, and He also brought rain down on the land after a long drought.

But shortly after all these miracles happened, Elijah wished he was dead. Wait, what? No, seriously. In 1 Kings 19:4, Elijah says what we’ve all said at one time or another: “I’ve had enough, Lord.” He asks God to take his life. You could say that it’s the one prayer God didn’t answer, but actually, He does.

Elijah Needed a Nap and a Snack

Right after this declaration, Elijah falls asleep. Sometimes, we just need a nap! But then when his nap is finished, an angel wakes him up and tells him to eat.

A literal angel made Elijah literal food. All of a sudden, there was bread and water in front of him. So, he did the wise thing. He ate. The food so strengthened Elijah that he traveled forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God.

During this dark time, Elijah learned the value of rest. He learned that, even when good things happen, these good things can’t sustain him. He’s human. Like all of us, he needed to rest after the emotional roller coaster he endured, even in the midst of the miracle.

The Importance of the Rest in Our Lives

Rest is so important to God that even He rested on the seventh day. He set an example that we all need to follow. The Sabbath reminds us that we’re human, that we can’t give our 110% all the time. We need to intentionally step back from our ministries, our jobs, our daily lives for just a moment to unwind and reflect.

Oh, and of course, to take a nap!

Most of my close friends know that I can’t stay out past ten o’clock at night. It’s a boundary I’ve set for myself, because I know that I can’t be (ahem) very Christlike past that hour. The truth is, I wake up early in the morning, so I’m tired by the end of the day. I’m human. I’ve recognized the importance of sleep for my sanity.

Key Takeaway

While most of us in the world are in isolation due to a virus that’s still not fully known to us. As a result, we have a ton of time on our hands. Of course, life goes on. We still have to work. But maybe, in our free time, we can make some time for rest.

Even though it seems like nothing is going on (you’re stuck in your house!), you’re going through a lot of mental and emotional stress right now. Recognize your need for rest, and make time to unwind.

This week, I challenge you to literally schedule time to rest. Here are some questions to get you thinking about how to rest properly:

  • What basic necessities (sleep, eating healthy food, working out, spending time with family, etc.) do I need right now? How can I fulfill what I need?
  • Think of your life as an empty cup. What activities and people fill the cup of your life?
  • What would spending a Sabbath with the Lord look like for you? What activities would you give up? What activities would you take part in?