Scripture is full of stories of individuals and people groups who suffered, lived in uncertainty, and experienced a broad range of emotion. We cannot control what happens in the world around us, but we can choose to respond in healthy ways that glorify God.
Missio graduates will be facilitating free online groups, “Seeking Hope During Covid-19” through Cornerstone Counseling Ministries (CCM). This will be a time to surface fears, anxieties, and all that has come with the wave of Covid-19 in a safe place and led by our counseling staff. We will incorporate coping skills, grounding techniques, and other practices to give hope and comfort. Please sign up HERE if you would like to participate in this group.
This group will be offered twice a week (Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) for the coming weeks.
Here are a few tips for responding to the uncertainty of this current season:
- Feed your mind with truth. Read Scripture. Listen to worship music. I began each of my classes last week by reading Psalms 46. Each student then shared a word or phrase that resonated with them. I encourage you to pause and prayerfully read the passage, reflect on a word or phrase, and journal in response.
- Limit your intake of the news. It is important to stay up to date, but it does not need to be playing constantly. Our thoughts impact how we feel and act. It is important to be mindful about what we are feeding our minds.
- Connect with other people. Physical distancing is an act of love, especially for the vulnerable among us. However, we can find other ways to connect. Zoom has been a gift to my professional and personal relationships in this season. My children have been participating in a nightly Zoom devotional with friends from school. Yesterday, one of their teachers read a beautiful story reminding them to trust God in scary times.
- Find creative ways to love your neighbors. My girls and I sent flowers and a note to a local nursing home since they can no longer receive visitors. As my four-year-old says, “We are letting our light shine.”
- Take care of your physical body. Sleep. Eat healthy foods. Exercise. Spend time in nature if you can.
- Practice healthy coping skills. If you do not know what that means, join the group above.
- Engage in hobbies. Read. Draw. Paint. There are quite a few free online classes available.
- Let’s cling to truth in the midst of so much uncertainty. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble…” (Psalms 46:1).
