A very special THANK YOU to our daughter, Sarah Grace, the guest author of today's blog! *
Quarantined. Stuck. Isolated. The new (not so exciting) way of living for the foreseeable future. As the world shuts down, we are forced to slow our pace and reevaluate our day-to-day lives. Without the opportunities to fill our time with seemingly important (but actually quite unnecessary) errands, we have become confined to our homes.
What I would give just to roam the aisles of Wal-Mart! Woah… never thought I’d say that! While the world keeps its movements to a minimum and people hide away in their houses, I’m left desperate to free myself from the comforts of home and resume normal life! However, that is not an option to be chosen.
But irony finds its way into this dim, oh-so-boring situation. I’ve decided to go on a quest!
Through some research, I found a study by Beth Moore – “The Quest”. Although I have not completed this study (OK… I’ve watch 15 minutes of the first session.), something inside of me has begun to shift.
I realized… you don’t need to be in a group to be with Jesus. Jesus is around, quarantine or not! If you are like me, you were just kicked in the gut with some real TRUTH!
This sudden realization reminded me of Acts 16:25-26.
“25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake so strong that it shook the foundation of the jail. All the doors of the jail opened, and the chains on all the prisoners fell off.”
Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, quarantined from the public! But they stood firm in their faith with continued prayer and praise to God. Look how God responded! I am constantly reminded that no matter how big my problem seems, God is beside me with an incredible solution.
So, here is my challenge for you. I challenge you to go on a quest - a daring adventure to work on your prayer life. As Beth Moore said, “Take the ‘quiet’ out of ‘quiet time’.” TALK TO GOD! Engage in a dialogue with your Heavenly Father, remembering that no quarantine or illness can keep Him away from you.
You are who you are when you are with Him - without the crowds and spectators. I challenge you to strengthen your faith, study the Word, speak with your Father. Then, and only then, will we find the immense power in the isolation from one another and begin to prepare ourselves for the revival of Christian love and evangelism at our quarantine’s end.
* Sarah Grace (Gaines) Reich is a third grade teacher in Louisiana. She is married to Mark, a US Army First Lieutenant stationed at Fort Polk.
Quarantined. Stuck. Isolated. The new (not so exciting) way of living for the foreseeable future. As the world shuts down, we are forced to slow our pace and reevaluate our day-to-day lives. Without the opportunities to fill our time with seemingly important (but actually quite unnecessary) errands, we have become confined to our homes.
What I would give just to roam the aisles of Wal-Mart! Woah… never thought I’d say that! While the world keeps its movements to a minimum and people hide away in their houses, I’m left desperate to free myself from the comforts of home and resume normal life! However, that is not an option to be chosen.
But irony finds its way into this dim, oh-so-boring situation. I’ve decided to go on a quest!
Through some research, I found a study by Beth Moore – “The Quest”. Although I have not completed this study (OK… I’ve watch 15 minutes of the first session.), something inside of me has begun to shift.
I realized… you don’t need to be in a group to be with Jesus. Jesus is around, quarantine or not! If you are like me, you were just kicked in the gut with some real TRUTH!
This sudden realization reminded me of Acts 16:25-26.
“25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake so strong that it shook the foundation of the jail. All the doors of the jail opened, and the chains on all the prisoners fell off.”
Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, quarantined from the public! But they stood firm in their faith with continued prayer and praise to God. Look how God responded! I am constantly reminded that no matter how big my problem seems, God is beside me with an incredible solution.
So, here is my challenge for you. I challenge you to go on a quest - a daring adventure to work on your prayer life. As Beth Moore said, “Take the ‘quiet’ out of ‘quiet time’.” TALK TO GOD! Engage in a dialogue with your Heavenly Father, remembering that no quarantine or illness can keep Him away from you.
You are who you are when you are with Him - without the crowds and spectators. I challenge you to strengthen your faith, study the Word, speak with your Father. Then, and only then, will we find the immense power in the isolation from one another and begin to prepare ourselves for the revival of Christian love and evangelism at our quarantine’s end.
* Sarah Grace (Gaines) Reich is a third grade teacher in Louisiana. She is married to Mark, a US Army First Lieutenant stationed at Fort Polk.