Are you struggling with knowing how to deal with #covid19?
Are you tired already of your kids being at home? Your spouse being at home? Being home alone?
Scared about the future?
Feel like you are mountain biking up a mountain (and you don’t know how to mountain bike?)
To all of our heavy loads I bring a word of hope: persevere.
Persevere: an undertaking in spite of counter influences, opposition, or discouragement.
For it’s true: we are being hit at every side.
We’re shifting through mental anguish, physical exhaustion and social isolation. TOO, TOO MUCH.
In light of this, if I see one more motivational tweet about how I’m suppose to rise to my better self during these times: be more, do more, achieve more because the world needs leaders now more now more than ever — I think I might scream.
We are all doing the best we can.
Without warning or time to prepare, so many of our lives were changed in an instant.
We have less resources for help or self-care.
Thriving is not a realistic goal. Yet, I want to tell you this today: persevering is.
One of my favorite scriptures comes from 2 Corinthians 4 which speaks to what perseverance looks like:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. . . . Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
Perseverance reminds us that even in the most difficult of circumstances we can be about the work of hope. Life is so much about both/ and.
But how?
I’ve heard from friends this week that they’ve loved doing yoga in the morning or dance parties before dinner or night caps with dear ones over the phone.
I’ve heard about friends meeting up over Facetime to play games.
I’ve been busy trying to create community for my church via Zoom and over on You Tube where we share our weekly worship services.
In my case, I’ve loved keeping up with friends over the app Marco Polo and taking a mental break alone in my room every afternoon when my daughter “naps.” Even something as simple as sitting in the dark and taking a deep breath in the middle of the day has been a gift.
Reading Psalms before bedtime has given perspective too. There is truly nothing new under the sun.
Our family motto is “This is a marathon, not a sprint.” And so, my friends, let us keep going.
What’s one thing you can look forward to today or tomorrow? Sure, the big picture of all of this looks crazy but that’s not the work your mind needs now.
My prayer for you right now is that you’re able to keep showing up to whatever life-giving practices you need to make it from one day to the next. And give yourself grace when you have a hard day.
We’re all going to have hard days (I had one yesterday!) and need to start all over in the morning. For, making it from morning to night and then doing it all over again is a beautiful accomplishment.
Really. I am so proud of all that you are doing.
Persevere on my friends! You’ve got this.
P.S. It’s Holy Week- would you like some encouragement sent to your inbox the next couple of days specifically with these times in mind? Sign up here!
