Wavering faith: I'm Scared, Lord

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Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

by T. Taylor Williams
Yes, the times we're in can be frightening.
Hearing the daily death toll from COVID-19 is scary.
Seeing emerging "hot spots" give us pause about whether to leave our homes.
Learning that friends, acquaintances and loved ones have the virus or, worse yet, have passed, makes a chill run through us as we wonder, "Who will be next? Am I safe? Could I handle it if it's someone close to me?"
All of these are tools the enemy uses to try to shake our faith.
His goal? To steal, kill and destroy...to make us doubt the all powerful, ever living God.

There WILL be times when you will be tested with fear. WHEN anxiety (my anxious thoughts) was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 (NIV) So the way I see it, He's not saying "IF" we're scared or full of anxiety. There WILL be times when fear will try to come upon us. However, He gives us instructions.When we are feeling scared, anxious, or overwhelmed, we should seek Him--pray, get in His Word. Then, He will be faithful to console us. That's awesome!

During a recent walk, two dogs! bolted towards me out of nowhere, barking with their teeth bared. At first I wanted to run. Fear ran all through me as their barking grew louder and they closed in on me. The owner screamed hysterically for them to return but they paid her no mind. I was fresh meat!
Thankfully, I remembered that I had a big stick in my hand. And thankfully, I remembered that I read that if a dog charges you, to stand still until they calmed down, which they did.
Just as the roar of the lion in I Peter 5:8 and just as those dogs' barking was scary, that's similar to how the enemy is using the Coronavirus--to scare us, to make us doubt that the Lord is able to take care of us. He wants to shake our faith in the Lord.
And his roar and his bark are loud and intimidating. It's almost like he's using the litany of negative news reports and shouting, "See? Look at all the sick people. Look at all the people dying. You're next."

Be encouraged today. You're not weak if you are afraid. But don't stay in that fear space.
For the Lord has not given us the spirit of fear (doubt), but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Always a Reason to Praise!

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Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Psalm 72:18-19

by T. Taylor Williams
COVID-19 has a lot of people grumbling.
Complaining that they are cooped up in their homes. Griping about nothing to do. Grumbling about what they don't have.
But there is plenty to praise the Lord for.
Indoor running water. Food to eat. A bed to sleep in. A vehicle to drive. Change to use for public transportation. If you have a home. If you are able-bodied. If you can see, hear, smell...
If you and your family are healthy.
Or perhaps you or someone you know had the Coronavirus, but have recovered.
These blessings are not a coincidence.
And we cannot take the credit.
See? There are plenty of reasons to PRAISE GOD!
God is a good God and He's worthy to be praised!
What is praise? To exalt, to magnify, glorify, to celebrate, to bless.
So why should we praise?
Because we serve an AWESOME, caring, loving, healing, protecting, forgiving, generous God!
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights... James 1:17 
I have attended churches that hold a "devotional service," where time is dedicated to talking about how wonderful the Lord is.
We can have our own personal time of devotion. We can take a little time to consider what He has done and is doing for us. It doesn't take long to forget the cares of the world and sing, praise, clap and shout, all to the glory of God.
"He is worthy of all of the praise, glory and honor. Praise Him! 
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen" -- from Baptist Hymnal, 1991

"Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the noonday. Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him when the sun goes down!" -- from Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the Morning

Prayer: Lord, You are good and Your mercy endures forever. May we praise You always. Amen.

Keep Hope Alive!

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by T. Taylor Williams

Where now is my hope? And who regards or considers or is even concerned about my hope? Job 17:15

Hope: Desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment; to expect with confidence: Trust. (Merriam-Webster)

The above photo illustration and corresponding scripture reference is how many of us may be feeling nowadays.

We are trying to keep our inner spirit encouraged as our daily, busy lives have come to a near standstill.

And we are cautioned amid reports of illness and death to steer clear of others, which goes against the socialization that many of us are accustomed to.

We’re hoping for life as we knew it before COVID-19 to resume.

We’re holding on to hope in what looks like a dark world.

Admittedly, this blog was also birthed to keep myself encouraged and to build my faith.

I can’t lie: Like many of you, I’ve had my moments in the valley the last couple weeks.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us, believers or non-believers, have many concerns.

How do we maintain positivity and hope when so much is unknown? I.e. Will I lose my job? Will I be able to support myself and my family? Do I have enough food and supplies? We may even look around and wonder who will be affected by this virus within our inner circles.

Yes, we worry sometimes. We’re human.

But we must fight against the dimming of our inner hope candles.

I’m not here to hit you over the head with the Word of the Lord.

I can only speak from experience and tell you what I know. 
When I first started writing this blog, it was Spirit-led. The Lord wants me to encourage His people, and all people.

My hope rests in the Lord Jesus. He’s proven Himself real to me more times than my mind can calculate. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.  The author and finisher of my faith.

I’ve lost my husband, my father, had our family home foreclosed, lived in government housing, and been glad to receive food benefits this time last year. I’ve seen Him make a way when I didn’t see a way to be made. I don’t know the outcome of the Coronavirus. I don’t know why things happen the way they do. But I don't need to.

Remember, the Lord did not promise an easy life. But He did promise to provide strength (Psalm 18:39), and to walk with us  in the midst of any and every trial, tribulation and storm we may face. (John 15:26)

And that’s where my hope lies.

“You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but the morning comes…And you hold on, and hold out! We must never surrender! America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive! Keep hope alive!” Jesse Jackson

“My way may not be easy, You did not say that it would be. But when it gets dark, I can’t see my way. You told me to put my trust in Thee. That’s why I’m asking You, Lord, help me to hold out…until my change comes.” – James Cleveland

Make the Most of Your Time!

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by T. Taylor Williams

I know a man who always complains about being bored.

And he claims he’s going nuts during this lockdown caused by COVID-19.

Conversely, I’ve heard several folks in various circles say the downtime of this quarantine has given them much-needed respite from the hustle & bustle of everyday life.

“I needed this break from everything.”

“Our family needed to unplug.”

“Before this, I wanted to say ‘stop the world, I want off.’”

Many who are reading this are homebound due to shelter in place orders.

How do you choose to spend your time?

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Redeem the time. Make the most of the time.

Perhaps you’re catching up on your favorite television series or watching movies you’ve been meaning to see.

Finding a new hobby or exploring the one you have can be fulfilling. My mother, my aunt and my sister have resumed crocheting, which is a craft passed around in our family.

Or you may choose to challenge yourself to learn something new. There are lots of tutorials online. One of my co-workers is sharpening her graphic design skills by taking a 4-week course online.

Maybe you can see this quarantine as a blessing to spend quality time with your family (with appropriate social distancing, of course).

You could also see this as a great opportunity to clear the clutter. Heaven knows I have a mound of paperwork that I've got the pleasure of sorting, shredding and organizing. 

Whatever you choose, consider your quality of life.

As the saying goes, the present is a gift. It’s what we do with it that counts.

I like the perspective that each day presents a clean slate full of purpose. “Every day you have a new opportunity to glorify God,” said Dr. Bill Winston, pastor of Living Word Christian Center in Tuskegee, Alabama.

“This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” Les Garrett (based on Psalm 118:24)