Rest, Restore and Revival

"If you are going to do something, do it right." For years, this was our parenting mantra we used with the desire that it would implant diligence and faithfulness to our children. 

"When you commit to something, see it all the way to the end." These were not just words to us, but a lifestyle, especially to our faith walk. My husband and I became Christians at the same time. From that point on, establishing a godly family was a key priority for us. Church attendance became a source of learning to walk this Christian life, to line up our values with the Word of God and to fellowship and grow from relationships with other Christians.  'Going to church' was not just something we did, but something we put our all into through worshiping, learning, growing and serving.  Faithful attendance was a natural outflow from the heart changes on the inside.

For our family, church attendance is not something we think about or question on Sunday mornings - 'should we go to church today?'. It is a lifestyle, not of man made laws, but from a love to worship the Lord. It is an established part of our weekly schedule except in cases of sickness or being out of town.

But this Sunday...due to the abundance of caution and concern for our community, church services were not held at the physical location. No early morning up and preparation to teach Sunday School, no special Sunday lunch prep, no getting dressed and ready to walk out the door for church. Instead...



some front porch sitting with hubby, gazing through the morning fog, listening to the birds, watching the cows across the field and pondering the circumstances that brought us to this place - Covid 19.

We were quickly jolted out of our normal routine, hearing of fears and panic across our country. There were choices to make in our hearts and how we placed our faith. Would we succumb to the panic or trust God and use good judgement to prepare?

The Word of God is our foundation and speaks to us in every situation..."  Psalms 46 tells us that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Following that promise is this..."Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling." This is not something that happens every day. The point is that there are things we think are stable and secure that at points we found out are not stable and secure at all.

An article I read stated..."Anything can and will change. We all come to points in our lives when the things we thought were most sure and enduring prove not to be so sure and enduring. It's a reminder that we will never find security in any earthly refuge. Any person, any thing that we trust in, is subject to change.
Mountains and earth—we think of these things being solid and unshakable. The fact is, only God is unshakable. Only He is completely reliable, faithfully, and trustworthy. You see, troubles cause our hearts to become detached from this earth, when we realize there is nothing stable here.

On the porch that morning, our talk revolved around revival - a renewing of passion in our hearts for the Lord, a desire to see Him and His glory around and involved in our world today, for the sole purpose of bringing Himself glory. Sometimes our hearts need a shaking up to sift out the non-essentials. Routine, comfort, listless faith will not last in troublesome times. Fiery faith that clings to God in the midst of chaos allows our hearts to 'detox' and focus on what is truly important.

Will you join us to seek God with a renewed fervor in the midst of this crisis? As we trust God, we can extend His grace to others. Hugs, visits and fellowship may be postponed for the protection of others. But prayers, calls, letters and expressions of love can continue and be the timeless tools to share God's love in the midst of hard times.