2020’s Silent Shifter

A “Silent Shifter” changed everything about the way we think. It was like an invisible force field swept over our world. The fight for life has been the #1 goal. Our world has been united in this fight. Our medical field and essential services' heroes put on their “superman/woman” capes, masks, gloves and have been relentless in their exploits as they help to rescue humanity. The word, hero, has forever changed the way we use that word.

On the positive side – the “silent shifter” caused gasoline prices to go down. Pollution has subsided, so much so, that it seems like wildlife came out of hiding and is celebrating. The sounds of nature are louder. The air seems clearer to breathe in deeply. We want to get outside more and walk or just stand in “social distancing” and talk to each other. We have more time for each other. Parents are spending time with their kids as a family and work, traveling and social life is no longer a priority.

Yesterday, I attended a “LIVE” outdoor concert along with others in my community at LaDonna Gatlin Johnson's and her husband, Tim's backyard. They had moved their grand piano to their dining room. Tim is a gifted pianist, and of course, LaDonna is equally gifted as a vocalist and the "baby" sister of the Gatlin Brothers. We sang along to several "heavenly" songs, but one if my favorites was “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. When she got to the line, “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow”, she teared up and so did we. Our Lord gives us the strength for this day and, PRAISE GOD, knowing Him gives us bright hope for tomorrow. On one of the songs, this cute couple couldn't resist getting out of their seats and dancing! I loved it!


As you can see from the photos, we sat “social distanced” in our lawn chairs. It was wonderful to sing, praise and make the most of celebrating God’s goodness. My dear cousins, Dr. Charles and Mary Ellen Snow, live here in my community. Dr. Snow, gave an inspiring talk about our Lord’s “Blessed Assurance” that He’s got this and He's got us! Oh, how sweet to know Him!

It seems solidarity, hope and faith, as well as appreciation for each other, has risen to a new level. We’ve realized that we are all in the same boat; rich and poor. New cars and old cars are in garages. Small living spaces as well as mansions house families. Survival has become the most central theme.

We’re learning about each other during these times. I’m sorry for those who don’t have faith, because I know our best protection is GOD. Our best refuge is HOME. Our best company is FAMILY. Our best wealth is HEALTH. Our best time is TODAY. Our best attribute is PATIENCE.

What matters most is our HEART and our trust in God. The main thing is we are NOT God and only He is in MASTER control. We are having to be who He made us to be – human BEINGS – not human DOINGS. What if we just breathed in and out, BEING a child who awaits Daddy to get home and surprise us with something He’s bringing to us. What if we stop our narcissistic “It’s all about ME” and become “It’s all about YOU, God!” I will be patient, in the meantime, and be willing to go back to the basics, to the essentials of letting Your peace guide me as my Creator and I, Your Creation. I’m thinking I’m going to settle for that in my heart and soul!

What if we hold tight and watch God do what He does best? He is the Silent Shifter! Let’s be willing to be “shifted”!

Getting the Prescription Filled

Seventeen years ago, my fingers hurt so much that I couldn’t button my shirt or pick up my grandbabies. A rheumatologist diagnosed it as osteoarthritis, a chronic disease that, she said, could only be maintained (not healed) via drugs. She prescribed Vioxx. My husband said to me as we drove home, “Now we know the name of the symptoms, and since we know THE NAME that is above ALL names, the name, osteoarthritis, must bow to the name of Jesus. We pray for wisdom and will believe God guides us in what to do, not to just ease the pain, but for your complete healing.” He prayed those words from God's Word (God's remedy book for so much that ails us) in Philippians 2:9. We just didn't have a peace about having that prescription for Vioxx to be filled, and, it’s a good thing because a couple of years later Vioxx was taken off the market because over 60,000 patients died from taking it. (BTW, God's wisdom led us to natural supplements and the pain was gone within 90 days. All glory to God!)

I’m not advocating that we shouldn’t take medicine. Combining our faith in the healing power of God with the wisdom of the medical field can be God's way for our healing to come. When we are really sick, and beyond our faith, we may need to go to a doctor for help. If he finds an infection, he'll prescribe a remedy and write a prescription for us. He knows and expects the medicine to help us get better. He wants to help us get over the issue so we take it, then wait for it to work.

Now, think about how much God wants us to apply His Word to, not just healing our bodies, but restoring our souls and having an entire life of His abundance and success. We talk about what God’s Word says. We think about His Word. But often we don't actually “take it” and act on what it says. God, our Great Physician, has prescribed what we need in His Word. The fact is taking His prescription (or not) to love, forgive, trust, and hope (His characteristics) will determine how long we wait for success.

If we don’t know where to start, we can start with the simplest of all “prescriptions" for success. It is God’s BIG ONE – a commandment, which is sometimes difficult to swallow, but the single most important one for a life of blessing and abundance. It’s simple to remember because it basically boils down to one word: love. This one word contains the essence of all the other commandments we’ve ever been given. It says: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). That’s the prescribed medicine we need to take daily……religiously.

Learning to wait well with patience involves learning how to put into practice the regularity of living as a child of God. It means putting into practice those things we already know: • Loving
• Forgiving • Believing • Doing what God says to do.

Heavenly Father, we want to love as You love, forgive like You forgive and honor You with our hearts in every way. Use us as a testimony of grace, kindness, and love to those around us. I pray for a double portion of favor and blessing in our lives! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.