My Single Post on the Coronavirus

Coronavirus. COVID 19. China Virus. Whatever you are calling it, it’s taken us by surprise, and we all continue to talk about it. We joke, share memes, speculate, conjecture, stress and obsess over this new world we’re living in.

I, for one, don’t want to. I’ve been ignoring the Coronavirus conversations and posts on social media like the plague (pun intended). Whatever it is, I don’t want to dwell on it. I’ll let you in on a secret: this is how I’m surviving and thriving in spite of it all.

A Little Background on My Life

For the past year, I’ve been quarantined, in large part due to leaving my job and getting pregnant. I spent months in the house by myself while my husband worked his job. I focused on two things: readying my book to be published and readying my baby to be born. I’ll be honest, preparing the book was the harder of the two.

In isolation, it’s something else how we respond to little contact with other humans. After a long day alone in the house at the computer, I crave face-to-face interaction with my husband. He will often make time to let me talk to him, even when he has spent most of his emotional and physical energy with people that day. Now that we’re both home for the next month, we have been able to interact more naturally and easily.

As for stores and going out and about – we take our precautions, wear masks in public, drive places minimally, sanitize and clean. Our introverted personalities don’t mind.

Crisis Upon Crisis = Surrendered

Since our son Jaxon’s passing, we have been so blessed to receive messages, cards, and flowers from friends and family all over, so it has enhanced our quality of life to a degree.

I’ve reached out to many close friends and family as well to process and handle my feelings amidst this weird and unique season. Losing a child in the middle of a pandemic would seem like the end of the world to hear it, but it’s not.

Not when you know that God is in control, on the throne, sovereign above all.

While we were in the NICU for eight days, Chris and I sang one song in particular that drew us closer to Jesus and our baby — Because He Lives. Here are the lyrics:

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy He gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain day, because He lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

And then one day, I’ll cross the river
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

Social Media & Belonging to the Body

I posted something on Facebook a few days before Jaxon was born. I posted that social media was a crutch and that we needed to rely on and look to Jesus to fulfill that longing for belonging. But I know now that it’s a “both/and”. We need to both look to Jesus for belonging and being fulfilled and stay connected with others – whether via social media or in person.

The body works better together when all of the parts cooperate and function in harmony.

I remember standing up in the lobby at the NICU while awaiting our son’s MRI testing, expressing this to my husband.

These times, this crisis, the reality of pain and suffering and trials in the body of Christ – when people connect and communicate, give and support it’s like the body is reacting to the pain. The other body parts are reaching out to the part of the body that’s suffering. They’re offering to share the burden and comfort that stricken member.

What a gift it is to receive, and what a blessing to give.

What To Do In This Time

I strongly encourage you that when you have a person, friend, family or stranger light on your mind, that you would take that moment as an opportunity to pray and ask for what you can do to be the body of Christ to them. In whatever form of encouragement you are able and can conceive (text, email, phone call, snail mail, etc.), go out of your way and give to them!

Give of your time, energy, resources and make their day brighter. Show them you care, that God cares, that they are loved and belong. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. And then be blessed by the sweetness of your sacrificial offering.

From Scripture:

Matthew 16:25 “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

John 6:57 “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.”

Today’s Prayer:

Lord Jesus, make me able. I am willing to be Your hands and feet. Show me how to bless others and focus on Your love in these uncertain, stressful times. Help me rest in Your promises and be a light unto the world in these dark times. Amen.