“Those rose trees aren’t looking very good. I wonder what’s happening to them?”
The lovely roses that had greeted us in our new home were no longer thriving. I grabbed a slender trunk and gently waggled it. Seconds later I stood there holding up a rootless plant. Something had eaten away the roots. Poor thing!
You are done with quarantine, lock-down, and social-distancing. Life as you knew it. Pre-COVID-19, is totally different. And not much to your liking. You miss your family, friends, and future. Your plans have changed, and your dreams have died. Loss is all around you. Yes, I get it. COVID chaos has affected my family, too. My sweet daughter and son-in-law have lost their jobs, dear Margie is losing her home, and my courageous friend Julie’s stepdad passed away after becoming infected with the coronavirus. How can we renew our hope during COVID-19?
This year, 2020, has taught us many things. Some of the things we likely wish we had not had to learn; but many of the things that came out are good things. We learned how to appreciate others for what they do for us, we learned how much we value spending time with those we love, we learned that we enjoy being in the presence of our loved ones, we learned that a phone call or text can make someone’s day, and we learned that life is valuable and sometimes taken for granted.
Leading is easy when things are going well; but when the train is derailed a leader’s response speaks loudly about their character; and it speaks volumes about their faith. “Faith and leadership go hand in hand, in that good leadership is not dependent upon one’s talents or gifts but upon one’s total surrender to God and dependence upon the Holy Spirit to amplify what God has given them.” Leadership is never needed more than during times of crisis, and now is one of those times.
You may have read those words in the title and thought, “I have nothing for which to be grateful or thankful! This is May 2020 and COVID-19 is still slowing down, changing my life and I don’t, and I won’t like it at all!” Ok, maybe, it’s not you but you know someone who is feeling that way.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV) reminds us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Some people have a green thumb and others don’t. Those that do can grow plants and flowers that seem to flourish with life, color, and vibrancy. Leaders also fall into two categories. Those who flourish and those who don’t. What are some common traits of flourishing leaders? I believe what happened in the early church gives us clues to the traits of a flourishing leader.
The usually busy streets of Chicago are empty. The city responding, like so many others, with a lockdown. In the mist of the silence, WGN television reports on a lone voice singing “Hallelujah.” The local street performer, Andrew David said, “What is the purpose behind the performance? I realized that people are looking – in the midst of calamity – for peace.”
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order
that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
Titus 3:14 (NIV)
“Tomorrow's illiterate will not be the man who can't read; he will be
the man who has not learned how to learn." – Alvin Toffler
As we find ourselves in this state of social distancing, it’s easy to let fear creep in and overtake our thoughts. When all of this started, I found that my social media feeds were very full of fear and anxiety. Then, on March 20, one of my friends made a comment in a post that said, “I noticed on Wednesday night that Facebook instantly went from being the CDC to being TBN.” Since that day, my feed has become full of Scriptures, encouraging quotes, and loving people.
“You have cancer,” announced Dr. Du. Immediately, my senses went numb and the room began to spin. As the harsh reality set in, my mind reeled, Cancer, me? How could that be, there’s no cancer in my family. I looked across the doctor’s office at my husband, Paul. I said, “This is really bad.” I remembered Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And then I made a choice—to give God more attention than the cancer.
