​I am the light of the world. John 8:12
 
Hello dear one,
          The darkness of Coronavirus is shrouding the earth.  In the dark, fears loom large.  They cast shadows and appear bigger and scarier than they really are.   Jim and I are elderly and health challenged.  I am immune compromised and Jim has congestive heart failure. Most can get the virus and recover quite nicely.  We are in the group that must remain socially isolated.   Separated from family and friends.   Inside four walls that seem to be squeezing in on us, taking our breath of life.  Until there is a vaccine, this might be our new normal.  So how do we (you and I) respond?  How can we bring those walls down and regain life?  So, I chose to go to scripture and what came immediately came to mind was the battle of Jericho.  In the first battle fought by the Israelites in the course of the conquest of Canaan, the Israelites marched every day around the city and on the seventh day, they blew their trumpets, and the walls came tumbling down.  So, step one for Jim and I, today we left our darkness and stepped into the light of the Son and walked around our neighborhood, each step bringing us life-giving fresh air and hope. We chose light:  energy, truth and beauty.   And light destroys darkness and fear.  You and I need to choose to be in the presence of The Light.                                                                                                          Linda

 Set your mind on things above. . . Colossians 3:2
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Good Morning, dear one,
        I love you and I am praying for your health: physical, emotional, and spiritual.  This virus will attack us in every aspect of our lives.  It is very important that we be vigilant (on watch) for an attack by the enemy.  And sometimes the most vicious battles we will have to fight are in our minds.  Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to meditate on these things: whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, whatever things are lovely. This is great advice for us this morning. Set your mind.  Make a deliberate decision to control your thoughts.  The Amplified Bible reads, “Set your mind and keep it set.”  That means that you must keep watch and reset your mind whenever it starts to wander into fear territory.
        Do not let your mind ramble.  Let means to allow, permit, or give permission.  Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.”  Do not give evil thoughts a foothold in your mind.  Set your mind.  Only one little letter (L or S) determines your mental health in this crisis.  Let or Set.  I believe that even now we can choose an attitude of gratitude.  We can choose joy.               With God’s help, we can do all things.  Linda               

​Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow… Matthew 6:34
Good morning, sweet one,
          No doubt you have been bombarded this week with info on the coronavirus.  Twenty-four/seven newspersons are issuing dire warnings about the spread throughout the United States, numbers of those already infected, and how to protect yourself from contracting this virus.  While I believe it is important not to hide your head in the sand and pretend coronavirus is not a serious health threat, I also don’t believe in becoming overly anxious.  Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy your joy.”  You and I must not let fear control our minds.  This is a time to fall into faith.
          In this very moment, you are fine.  We must live in the now.  Cherish today, for tomorrow isn’t promised for any of us.  Bucket lists are fine, planning a vacation is fine, saving for retirement is fine. But use today, this precious 24 hours wisely.  Connect with your loved ones in a deeper, rather than superficial way.  Instead of asking, “How are you?”  you might ask, “What is making you joyful today?”   Even, ask yourself, “Am I joyful?”  Joy is defined as calm delight. 
          If you are concerned about the virus, take appropriate precautions.  As the CDC says, wash your hands, etc.  The Bible says, “Do not fear.”  Let your faith transform your mind from worry to worship.  Choose joy today.
                                                 Lifting you higher, Linda