Wow, it’s been a few years since I sat down to blog. So much has happened, yet what’s real is still real. I’ll start with a short update of what’s being going on. In the spring of 2019 I graduated from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay with an HBA in Political Science and Women’s Studies. That fall then brought me to Wilfrid Laurier in Waterloo for a 1 year MA program in Religion, Culture and Global Justice. This is where I am now, just halfway through, as this continues to August. This fall of 2020 will then start a new chapter as I continue on with my studies at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, in the PhD of Global Governance program. I’m excited to follow this path, and yes…I love to study. Haha!
In my family life, we are now empty nesters. Our children are all grown up, living their lives in Canada and Finland. It has been such a blessing watching them grow up into wonderful human beings. A mom’s heart couldn’t be more full. God is so faithful in all of their lives.
So, why the blog post? I’m sure that millions of us with stagnant blogs have resurrected them during this time of quarantine. Our lives are now isolating, but the potential for community is still so strong, and hence the need to reach out. I decided to do the same. At this time more than anything, we need hope in the chaos.
The initial title for the blog was “The Idols are Falling”…but that seemed a little extreme. Yet, that is what is happening. What we held on to has either toppled or is precarious. Our idols of money, status, politics, education…the list goes on…are all teetering. What we were aspiring for or defining our lives by could have a doubtful future. The fear is kicking in. How can we maintain the life we have built? How can we protect our loved ones? How can we pay our bills? What does our future look like?
Real concerns. Yes.
Is there hope? Yes, of course there is. It just depends on what or Whom you hold on to when things get hard. Has this been a time of introspection and evaluation of faith? Did it get weaker or stronger? Do doubts of God’s existence come to mind? Is there a need to blame God for what is going on? These are all valid questions. I don’t doubt that many are having them.
I’d like to now offer you some hope. I believe that God is in full control of this earth. Yes, people have free will and we all live with the consequences of the directions that we take and even those that other’s take.
But, He is still in control.
He saw all this coming.
He knows the future.
What does that mean to us in the here and now? Do we want to trust in a God that shows both love and wrath? Do we want a God that both blesses and disciplines? Or do we want a god that is created with our own utopian ideas of the perfect deity…someone who loves and blesses everyone all the time? Well, that isn’t the God of the Bible. This God created us, to commune with us, and for worshipping Him. He loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus on the cross to die for our sins, sins that we deserve punishment for. He knows our beginning and our end (Psalm 139). He knows our hearts. He knows our pain, rebellion, secrets…and He still loves us (John 3:16). Now is the perfect time to search for Him and find Him…He is the pages of the Book He sent for all of us to read. His Spirit is alive and strong within those that believe. Do you believe in Him?
He alone is our hope in this chaos.
