*Collateral Beauty.*
Watch for it.
It’s happening right under our noses, and I’m absolutely giddy with HOPE over it.
For real.
I mean – y’all – practically the entire world is doing the same weird “hunker down, pray, and wait out this pandemic” thing right now.
Unified!
How surreal is this?!
Sure – our country has had some pandemonium pendulum swings, but for the most part we have laid our petty divisions aside in recognition that we all have to band together for the greater good of our communities and neighbors right now. Suddenly, dehumanizing those with opposing political opinions seems trivial – because the human race is currently in a fight WITH each other instead of AGAINST each other.
Compassion is welling up for our neighbors both here AND abroad. Those who have fought through to the other side are entering the recovery phase and sending us warnings of what to expect, packaged in messages of encouragement that this, too, WILL pass.
And it will, friends.
The world is not ending. It’s just slowing down for a much-needed hot minute.
Irony at its finest is a virus that threatens to steal our breath but actually positions us to pause from the hustle and CATCH our breath.
Don’t be afraid. Be as confident in the middle – in the uncertainty – as you’ve claimed to be every other time God has come thru for you. Remember Who He is and forget NOT His benefits.
Has He left you? Has He forsaken you?
Never. No, not once.
When I prayed through my year at the end of December, this was the vision I got for March: “There is a thick fog in front of you right now, and it’s clouding your vision. But all you have to do is walk through the fog, and your vision will become clearer in the journey.” I genuinely believe we are in the midst of this fog but our vision will continue to grow more clear as we journey through it. Until you can see clearly – I will help you hold your arms up in the battle, my friends. That’s why we are here – to lift one another, call each other up, and remind our brothers and sisters who they are (and Whose they are) when they forget!! ❤️
My vision for April was of a big beastly bear that “appeared to be scary but I was easily able to tame it, subdue it, bridle it, and ride it, using it for my purposes.” I thought that was a personal word for me (maybe it will be) and I don’t usually share my monthly vision words throughout the year – but now I am beginning to think it was a corporate word directly related to this virus. This thing may look like a beast but it will be easily tamed and subdued, and God is absolutely using it for good. I see that, in the collateral beauty.
Here’s a snippet of my confidence: We will not pass through this thing and end up lacking anything. In fact, the Bible specifically says that trials test our faith, which builds our endurance, and when endurance has completed its work in us, we will be mature and complete – LACKING NOTHING.
When has that Scripture been more corporately on-point than right 👏 this 👏 minute?!? THAT’S EXCITING STUFF!
Blessings of joy and hope to anyone who made it this far!!
Go Quaranteam USA!! Be encouraged!! ❤️
*The expression “Collateral Beauty” comes from a movie, of the same name. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
