This anniversary is stranger for me because of the effects of the last 6 months. It feels like another shift in our collective experience on a deep level from all the trauma we have been through.
However, I remember the horror of that day while I was sitting in a seminary classroom and the days and weeks that followed. The eerie silence from no airplanes in the sky and then equally unsettling sound of when they slowly resumed flying in our area.
I have met so many first responders who are battling cancer and have shared stories of coworkers who have lost their battle with cancer in the years since.
One of my friends said it so well. “We will never forget but I also hope we can REMEMBER how we came TOGETHER as a country and all the patriotism we felt in the aftermath because we need that today just like we did then.” (Emphasis mine)
The opposition against our country has grown and expanded, but our war is not with flesh and blood. As a Christian, there only has been and only will be ONE ENEMY.
CHRISTIANS, it’s time to STOP fighting EACH OTHER and UNITE against the TRUE ENEMY of humanity and fight the REAL BATTLE in PRAYER and through ACTS OF GENUINE LOVE toward ALL humanity that is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
Comfort and blessings on this land and all who are grieving and hurting extra on this anniversary.
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It’s not very often that a show your family has been watching ends, and everyone looks at each other with surprise and disappointment that it is over! However, this has consistently been our experience as my family and I enjoyed all eight episodes of The Chosen.
WHAT IS THE CHOSEN?
“The Chosen is the first-ever-multi-season TV show about the life of Jesus. Created outside of the Hollywood system, The Chosen allows us to see Him through the eyes of those who knew him. No matter where you are at in your journey with Jesus Christ, this TV show is for you.” (This is quoted directly from The Chosen website.)
A friend recommended we check it out because of its high quality and inspiration. We wholeheartedly agree and can’t wait for season 2. In the meantime, we will rewatch it and enjoy all the special features that they keep adding.
WHAT MAKES THE CHOSEN SO SPECIAL?
The Chosen makes biblical characters come to life and very relatable. This is especially true of Jesus who is happy, funny and emotional just like us. He is so likable that you never want your time with Him to end. You enjoy His company on screen and something is awakened in you to want to get to know this Jesus better.
I have found myself returning to the Bible with a breath of fresh air and a renewed love of Jesus and scripture. Bible stories are coming to life before my eyes and characters like Mary Magdalene, Matthew, Nicodemus and the woman at the well are multidimensional and more than just names on a page. They had real struggles and brokenness and their lives were forever changed when they met Jesus and were transformed from the inside out.
Perhaps, like me, this is your testimony as well. The last 24 years of knowing and walking with Jesus have changed me. He has and continues to bring me deep healing and peace. I am more sure of His love and protection than at any other time. I relax in His presence and marvel at His goodness and mercy even in the midst of the hardest seasons of my life (so far). He has been faithful and will continue to BE FAITHFUL!
REVELATION OF SHELTER IN PLACE
Over this quarantine and shelter in place, I have felt the invitation of the Holy Spirit to go deeper and live more fully surrendered. I had unknowingly become complacent and half hearted in my routines and worship.
The Holy Spirit lovingly unveiled the true state of my heart in this season. I was convicted of my inability to truly worship Him in the quiet and mundane of this unique time. In the beginning, it was a challenge to truly worship and avoid being a spectator to our online church service.
In time with prayer, intentionality, and by the grace of God, I was able to get engaged and focused on Jesus alone. The simplest and purest form of worship began to bubble up from the deepest places in me. I didn’t need to be in a large room with a dynamic worship team, I just needed Jesus. It’s easy to say, but harder to live as my reality because I get distracted easier than I want to admit.
Don’t get me wrong, I am eagerly looking forward to the day when we can gather together again in person to worship as the family God. However, I want to emerge from this time more appreciative of His presence and the simplicity of keeping my heart towards Jesus and sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
I don’t want to take His presence for granted, or the presence of family and friends that I have only been able to connect with through a screen. I give thanks for technology, but may it never replace face to face chats and relationships with deep heart to heart connections.
Although the “shelter in place” order will eventually be lifted, I want to remain sheltered in Jesus as a way of life, my new normal, so I remain secure no matter what challenges may come my way.
