Grace Break

Amid the constant onslaught of everything COVID, I was surprised to receive an email request to review a recently released Christian devotional book entitled Grace Looks Amazing On You, by Amy Seiffert (see bottom of post for a free offer associated with this book).

A book about grace now? Could I leave the "valley of the shadow of death" even for a moment and enter the grace and peace of God amid this crisis? I wasn't so sure that I could do that, let alone review a book about it. As I considered whether or not to review this book, I started to gather my thoughts on the topic and my experience of grace.

Then the insecurity began to set in. Of all the tenets of faith, grace was the one that I probably struggled with the most. Oh, I had read all the verses and tackled the tough theological theses about it, but somehow its message alluded me.

I wondered why this would be? Why would I not be able to fully ensconce myself in the clemency of grace? Perhaps my childhood religious denomination unduly influenced me with a marked emphasis on "works"? Is the New York culture to blame with its emphasis on pretension and self-glorification? Or is it my proud nature to push away the notion of God's blessing upon me in spite of my inherent sin and unworthiness? My decision to review this book started to feel more and more like an appointment with God that must not be avoided.

I was startled one bright and sunny morning when my masked and gloved mailman threw a padded package at my front door. I did not grab and tear open the package as I ordinarily would have done in the carefree days that are now gone. Instead, I isolated the package until all possible traces of the coronavirus would be obliterated. Then I opened my package and found a sweet bubble-gum colored book with gold lettering: Grace Looks Amazing On You. Is that really true? She was going to have to prove that to me.

And prove it she did. The power of this book began to impress itself upon me immediately. Behind this bubble-gum facade, there was an implicit challenge to stop my game playing and commit myself to some serious soul-searching. In choosing to make this book a one hundred day devotion, author Amy Seiffert immediately establishes a significant time commitment towards the study of grace. One hundred days of breaking down defenses and strongholds. One hundred days, one hundred scriptures: it was like someone blowing a shofar in my ear telling me to wake up!

Amy Seiffert begins every devotion with a scripture portion, shares meaningfully from her life, and ends in a prayer. These devotions provide just enough spiritual food to nourish our hungry souls. They each point to one aspect of how grace looks in everyday life, even in places you may not have seen it hiding.

Even though the author published this work just before the virus outbreak it feels as if this book addresses the pandemic. Ms. Seiffert gets real because God's grace can heal. She shares her life in an intimate way so that by the end of the book I felt a bond crossing the distance between Westchester County, New York and Bowling Green, Ohio. The bond that connects the believer to each and every other believer. The bond that makes you feel that you are not alone.

This book touched my heart with the deeper meaning of God's steadfast love in my life. Something that we need now more than ever. Grace is an antidote to the current worldwide crisis, but we must take time each day to reflect upon that. Amy Seiffert's book is a great way to do that! Don't waste another minute trying to attain what God so freely gives. Add Grace Looks Amazing on You to your summer reading list.

* Please note for all my United States readers there is a special giveaway to celebrate the release of Amy Seiffert's new book. Take advantage of this as time may be limited. Enjoy! https://www.blessedfreebies.com/grace-looks-amazing-on-you.html

Church Online

In Westchester County, New York, my church's attendance has just increased dramatically! Before you go turning us into the local police department, let me further explain that the increase has occurred online. There are now Sunday worship services, bible studies and other computer assisted events all the time. We had a regularly scheduled Women's Ministry Breakfast event recently. It was held via the Zoom App. Rather than miss the opportunity to join together, the church chose to feature a video and then open up for a discussion before and after the video was shown. Of course, I had to make my own breakfast and coffee rather than enjoy our church's usual tasty potluck potpourri.

I was sceptical at first about how this would all work. Make my own breakfast. How was that something to look forward to? How could we generate the warmth incumbent in such an event without the hugs, smiles and scents of cinnamon sugar wafting through the air? I just was not sure about this whole brave new world that our church was entering into. How could our Pastor preach in front of an empty church and connect with a virtual audience? And, what about my upcoming church knit class?

The book of Ecclesiastes shares with us the wisdom of understanding and accepting the seasonality of life. This of course made me question the point of continuing the knit class which I lead at church. This is clearly a season of trouble. Is it trite to think of crafting? Should I focus my energy elsewhere? How would I even effectively demonstrate and motivate online? Even as these thoughts crossed my mind, I equally considered the possibility that the limited interaction could be fun. It could be a reprieve from the heavy doses of serious issues facing each and every one of us all the time. Joy amid the sorry.

What I found to my surprise has been a plethora or needs being met. It is not perfect mind you, far from it. I wish more older members of our congregation could benefit from some of these online portals but many of them do not have the right equipment, are not connected to the internet or even comfortable with it. So, it is important to still reach out by telephone or by mail. We should all think about taking time to pray or read the Bible by phone with someone who needs a helping hand.

With all that being said, I am amazed to see Church viewership on Sunday rise to three, four or even five times its' normal viewership! What gives? Is it due to people searching for deeper spiritual truths during the coronavirus pandemic? I certainly hope so. Is it just that people are overbooked in general and now that we are on a pause they finally have time for the Lord? I 'm not sure. Frankly, I think it's a little of both.

Another thing that has crossed my mind is how an online portal is a safe way to explore the Christian message without a big commitment. Some people are afraid that a lot of gushing Christians are going to run up to them in church and try to lure them in. Still others are afraid of not knowing what to do during service and making an embarrassing mistake. Perhaps they might genuflect at the wrong time, or they don't know what to expect at communion. Afraid of meeting new people or a lot of personal questions like, are you saved? You don't have to worry about the collection plate online. Some of these anxieties hold people back from attending a church service and livestreaming a service might be appealing for some.

I do know that we need one another in a more intimate way than just seeing each other on FaceTime. I know that many people are struggling with depression and anxiety as we go through these life-changing events. But, I also know that, all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.- Romans 8:28 🙋🏻🌈✝️

New York State of Mind

INTRO
New York has been besieged by a terrible enemy. An enemy that we can neither hear nor see but that we know is all around us. Stalking us as it were.* I started to think of where my life was before this terrible virus hit us. It is so dramatic to contemplate. I was just an ordinary person going about my ordinary business. Now, every encounter, all the most normal things of life have become distorted and painful. How precious is the ordinary life that most of us live and seldom appreciate. It has gone away in a flash. Romans 15:5- May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ had.

NEW YORK CITY
New York City used to be called the city that never sleeps. The vitality of culture, commerce and creativity was astounding. Now, the streets are empty. People huddling in their grave-sized studio apartments waiting for the go-ahead to start living again. People reduced to lining up like robots in supermarkets being told how to move and how fast to do it. They are harassed and given tickets for going to the park on a beautiful spring day. The economy of this state and nation were experiencing historic highs before all of this happened. Our jobless rates were never lower. Now we have parents of Columbia University and New York University students clamoring to get their money back and de-cry the sub-par education their children are receiving at these high-priced learning meccas. ZOOM may be the APP of the moment but you can't hug someone on it, and it surely can't replace traditions at institutes of higher learning for in-person pedagogy. How did we get from there to this? Will we ever have answers concerning how this virus emerged or caused such worldwide tragedy? Can we understand God's plan for us during this time? I think so. The truth seems to be seeping out here and there. Just listen closely and read your bible.

CASHLESS
There is financial disaster everywhere I look. Some people are just trying to spend as little money as possible because they are reeling from the financial crisis of losing their jobs. These folks are just trying to hold on until times get better. They are hoping that won't take too long. These folks have been protesting lately, desperate to go back to work.
2 Thessalonians 2:16- May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Then, there are the people who are afraid to go shopping and even afraid their cash is contaminated. They prefer to pay by credit. These are the same people who wanted to move towards being a cashless society before the Wuhan virus hit us. Revelation 13:17- So that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is the name of the beast or the number of its' name. Folks the only way an Anti-Christ can control the world economy is if we go cashless. I would prefer to disinfect my cash or wash my hands rather than be a part of helping our world go towards this inevitable scenario.

VACCINES
Many in New York believe that vaccines will be our great savior. They are ready to accept universal protection from this virus even if it would mean a loss of privacy and freedom. However, an increasing number of people have doubts that it could be so easy to vanquish this hellish virus. Americans have been debating the merits of vaccines for quite some time. The numbers of those who are questioning their side effects has increased as have those wondering about the impartiality of the medical profession towards them. Science is supposed to be an impartial anaylsis of the situation isn't it? What of Big Pharma's undue influence on governments and the medical profession. These are perilous times no matter how you look at it. The decisions we make on all the above questions will impact our lives and our world greatly. It is important to debate these topics now. Look at the real statistics and not those politicized versions.

SENIORS
In an addendum to last week's blog post on Seniors and COVID, it must be noted that the allegations of mishandling New York's nursing homes have been proven to be true. The Governor of New York with a swipe of his pen forced nursing homes, who were not medically prepared, to take in senior citizens who had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Is there no where a recuperating elderly patient can be cared for in dignity, safely and with love? What about family? Did they get to have a say in deciding how their family would be cared for?
Leviticus 19:32 (ESV)- You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

The Governors' actions clearly show that he didn't want hospitals to take care of them. Perhaps he preferred to leave those beds open for younger more important patients. Patients who deserved to live. Why do I think that? Because of the gross elder negligence that has existed all over my state during this pandemic. Thousands of the elderly died when COVID-19 spread in nursing homes like wild fire!
Psalm 71:9 (ESV)- Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.

This all occurred while a floating hospital was docked in New York City and the makeshift Javits Center hospital were available to receive patients. Of course the governors' approach introduced contagion to both well senior citizens and the staff of nursing homes. How could it not? What was the governor thinking? Thousands have died needlessly and his explaination was painfully insensitive. I mourn this loss.
Acts 20:33 (ESV)- In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

BAD NEIGHBORS
Neighbors are being reduced to spying upon neighbors or patheticly complaining about them on Facebook. Did my neighbor have a visitor? I thought I heard noise, was that a party? Why is that business open? In my area people were complaining about businesses who they did not even realize had been deemed essential services. It is a humbling situation to see grown men and women behaving as if they are children when the thin veneer of civilization is removed. Lord, help me to hold it together.
2 Thessalonians 3:11 (ESV)- For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 

In Westchester County, people are either paranoid about social distancing or they don't give a hoot and they will go berserk if you ask them to move aside (think Chris Cuomo). Then there are the people who believe in positive thinking. Who doesn't? However, when it excludes the truth or causes us to ignore an action that we need to take, it borders on delusional. All of this points to the fact that the current NewYork State of mind is not good. People have basically went berserk. When a society no longer has godly values what would you expect?
Isaiah 26:3- You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

CONCLUSION: This is a crisis of historic and biblical proportions. It is important to have a support group to help you through this all. I would recommend a good church. You will probably have to attend that church via the internet for the time being. I am here for you too. You can always comment at the end of my blog post and I will answer you. Please read your bible everyday and develop a deeper idea of just what God is trying to say to you.
Matthew 24:13- But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

*hint: I am not just talking about COVID-19.