Blog

A bit shocked to see this as a Prize 31 topic?  Don’t worry, I’m going in a bit of a different direction that you may have anticipated when you read the title.

What I have noticed during this COVID era is people experiencing far more intimacy that I have seen or heard of in decades.

I see father’s bike riding with their children; husbands and wives walking with strollers and 4 year olds peddling vigorously beside them on their three wheelers; and the streets have a steady flow of people walking and running.

Parental guidance (PG) has taken on a whole new meaning as Moms and Dads have become home school teachers and social, spiritual, and emotional guides for their children 24/7.

On yet another front, the “shelter in place” guideline was a wakeup call for many.  There is an old saying that “Home is where the heart is.”  People found themselves struggling with the “heart” that was showing up.  Without the busyness of ball games, kid’s sports, heading to work, church, or wherever – we all had time to notice things about ourselves or others that we may have overlooked for decades.  We discovered what the “heart” really looked and acted like.  Some were delighted, some were not.

What are we learning through all of this?  What will we be able to “take away” when the pandemic passes?

My prayer is that the intimacy families were forced to experience will voluntarily carry on and that the discovery of family board gaming and movie nights might continue to enrich our relationships.

Many have also shared that they were spending more time in the scriptures, searching for God’s comforting words; they watched Christian movies and inspiring messages by ministers across the nation;  and they discovered a new intimacy with God that had previously become somewhat overshadowed by the busyness of their day.

Yes, I truly believe that when the Lord says He will make all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, He means ALL THINGS.  Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones, homes, or jobs through this season. It is difficult to see any good that could possibly come out this loss, but we do know God does not lie.  We pray you are surrounded with those who can extend His loving hand to you at this time.

Perceived is real in the eyes of the beholder, so let’s begin to ask God to help us see through His eyes and be His hands and feet.

Let’s begin to praise Him and give Him room to do “a new thing” in our lives.

When at peace, cream rises to the top.  When that cream is shaken, it turns to butter – useful for a multitude of things.

Will you allow this time of shaking to transform you in such a way that you can be even more useful and more effective in God’s Kingdom work?

Together, let’s listen to His voice and allow Him to do a “new work” in us.  

Then, watch out world, as the body of Christ increasingly learns to move in the love and power of His Holy Spirit – becoming a magnet to draw others to Him.

Nita Kuehn