covid-19

2020: It’s Hard for Everyone.

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I have a goal of climbing to the summit of every 14er in Colorado. (A 14er is a mountain that is over 14,000 feet elevation.) This is a tedious goal and one that will take me years to complete. I have summited 14 of 58 over the past 9 years, so I’m about a quarter of the way there!

The thing about 14ers is that they never get easy. It doesn’t matter how many 14ers you hike, they are always hard. And every single 14er is different. They have different elevation gains, terrains, and distances. The weather shifts and they each have their own difficulties.

The year 2020 has reminded me of 14ers in a lot of ways. It has been hard for everyone. It doesn’t really matter what you had planned for 2020 because it has changed… probably a thousand times. Some people have had much harder years than others, but no matter what, I know 2020 has been hard for you.

Friend, I pray that you will not give up. I pray that you will continue on even though it is hard. I pray that you will see that this year has been hard for everyone, and yes, maybe it’s been especially hard for you. But the fact that it’s been a hard year for everyone gives you a pretty wide variety of people to talk with who will likely understand and relate to some of your hardship. So lean into community, family, and friends. Let them hear your hardships, weep with you over the losses, and sit with you in the sadness.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Romans 12:15 (ESV)

I think the worst part about what most of 2020 has brought is that it encourages people to hide and remain in isolation. This is exactly where the enemy wants us. He wants us to feel alone, isolated, and afraid. He wants us to be convinced that we are the only one struggling or suffering, and that no one could understand or help. I know this is his desire because of what John 10:10 says…

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10 (ESV)

You see, the enemy is a thief who does not care for you or me. He only wants to steal our joy, kill our dreams, and destroy our lives. But Jesus came to give life. And not any life, an abundant, full life! He is the one who came to save us from hiding and isolation. He came to redeem us and give us true life. There are still hardships in this life with Jesus, but there is also joy, abundance, and fellowship.

The year 2020 has convinced many of you that you are alone. But I want you to hear today that you do not have to be alone. There is a God who sees you and cares for you. He sees your every need and created your very being. And He longs for a relationship with you.

2020 is hard for everyone. But if there’s anything I’ve learned in hiking 14ers, it’s that it’s way easier when you hike with good company. And in my opinion, the best company you could get is Jesus. Lean into Him. Ask Him to draw near. Spend time in His word. He is for you. And He is with you! May you be reminded of His nearness as we step into the last month of the year.

The Significance of Touch.

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One day, Jesus had just finished teaching and healing a lot of people. A man with a skin disease (called a leper) came up to him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me well.” Jesus looked at the man and told him he was willing. Then, Jesus did something amazing. He touched the man and the man was clean! His disease was gone and he was healed! (This story is taken from Matthew 8:1-11.)

As I studied this story this week, I looked more into lepers and their place in society. I knew they were considered “unclean” and “untouchable” since their disease could be spread easily. I knew they lived outside of the city in communities with other lepers. And I knew they often didn’t have any human touch. But the thing I discovered this week was that there was a law that said lepers had to stay at least 6 feet away from other people! SIX FEET!

Now, if you are reading this in the Covid-19 season, you see the significance of this. Right now, most places require a 6 foot distance between you and another person not in your household. Apparently there is something to the whole 6-foot rule after all! 😉

Reading this during the pandemic has given me a new perspective on this story. It is so significant that Jesus reaches out and touches the man. He goes against what the law said. He goes against what society said was good and right. He goes against what those around him said was appropriate.

And Jesus touches the man. He touches someone who has probably not had human contact in years. He puts himself in a vulnerable place. This is significant.

During this pandemic, we are asked to stay six-feet away from others and wear masks in most public places. These are laws that have been put in action to keep people safe and reduce the load the health care system is caring right now. I know these are not my favorite or your favorite rules, but if they help make others who are immune compromised feel safe, I will continue to do this when around them. But, this is not meant to be a post about masks, or no masks, or the division masks have created in our society.

Instead, this is a post simply noting that ways Jesus interacted with others. He leaned in. He stepped in. He stood in the gap. He put himself in a vulnerable place by touching someone with an infectious disease.

So I ask you to consider, who around you do you need to lean into? Where can you stand in the gap? How can you go the extra mile and love someone well?

In this pandemic, maybe that means giving a hug to a single person who is living alone and doesn’t have much human contact right now. Maybe that means spending extra time on phone calls with friends and family who are spending time by themselves. Maybe it means checking in on people more frequently, or inviting neighbors into your home. Maybe it simply means saying hello to people at the grocery store or a restaurant, even if the whole mask thing is hard and feels restricting. As Christians, we can continue to be people who love well in this season, masks or no masks. The commands of Jesus are the same: to love Him and love others. And I can tell you, as a single person, that touch is significant and I have loved getting hugs from friends and family! Even for those who don’t “love” hugs, right now, I bet that most people you know would love another hug. 2020 has been a hard year for everyone.

God created us for community… community with Him and community with one another. We do not need to let this season create further distance and isolation between us. We need to see those who are prone to isolation and lean in. We need to reach out and touch them, reminding them that there is hope.

This pandemic will not last forever, and this pandemic was not a surprise to God. He is fully aware of our lives right now, and how they were different 9 months ago, and what they will be like 9 months from now. In every season, we can have trust that God is in control. We have hope that goes beyond this broken world, and this is the season the world needs to hear of this hope.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)

Mt. Quandary

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Mt. Quandary (14,265ft) was my 13th 14er and 3rd for the 2020 year. I hiked this mountain on July 21, 2020. Our total time was 6 Hours 25 Minutes, with a total HIKE time of 5 hours, 48 minutes. Two of my friends also went with me and we had a great adventure.

We spent the night in Breckenridge the night before, which is a great place to be. It’s only about a 10-15 minute drive to the trailhead from there and well worth it! We started at 5:57am. The beginning of the hike was pretty “easy” for a 14er. It was in trees and had some steep sections, but it was relatively good for the beginning of a 14er. Once you get out of the trees though, it was a pretty decent hike from then on…plus, there are a few false summits.

The best part about this hike was the mountain goat! We named him Billy and he was big and super close to the trail! At one point he did start walking towards us which was a little scary at first!

We made it to the summit by 9:18am and ate our Uncrustables sandwiches …which by now you should know is my go to lunch snack for all hikes. (#uncrustables…sponsor me!) It was beautiful at the top! You could see several lakes from there that looked like glacier water. Then we started the decent at 9:55am, reaching the parking lot by 12:22pm.

This was a great hike, and a relatively easy 14er. It was one friends’ first one and another’s second, but we were all traveling from Texas, low altitude, so it was a great hike for us. There were a TON of people on the trail though, even amidst Covid-19. I was really surprised by the number of people on the hike for a Tuesday! I was glad that we started before 6am and reached the parking lot before 12:30pm though. It seemed like a lot of people started around 8-9am and it would have been way more crowded of a hike.

Another great part of this hike was that after we were done, we only had a 10-15 minute drive back to Breckenridge! Staying in Breck really is the only way to hike this!

If you are looking for an easy first or second (or 13th) fourteener to conquer! The views are great, it’s a popular hike, and it should take you about 6 hours! Best of luck out there friends!

The Added Despair of Good Friday This Year.

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Good Friday, the day we remember the trial, crucifixion, and death of our Savior, is already a day of darkness and mourning for the Christian believer. This year, amidst Covid-19 and social distancing, there is an added layer of despair, loss, and loneliness we will all feel this year.

Imagine for a moment that you were one of Jesus’ disciples or a close follower of His. You went with Him everywhere. You saw the miracles He did. You witnessed the nearness to the Father that was displayed in his every word and action. You believed He was the Messiah, the long awaited King who would bring the true Kingdom. And you believed He came to prepare for war, a war against Rome.

But then He was carried away, put on trial, beated, mocked, and hung on a cross.

And then, He died.

Wait, what?! He was supposed to be the Messiah, the Savior, the King! And He died?! He was supposed to save Israel from Rome! Image the despair, loss, confusion, and grief that those who followed Him and looked to Him for hope and rescue felt on that day.

I imagine it was a feeling of deep separation, a feeling of incredible despair, and a feeling of disorientation. I imagine it was hard to get up the next day and go about life. And I imagine there were a lot of tears shed and prayers of confusion uttered through it all.

So maybe this is a helpful season to be in as we celebrate Holy Week. Consider how you can relate all the more to the despair of those who followed Jesus closely. We have so many of those same types of feelings right now. We feel loss of nearness to others because of social distancing. We feel disoriented with reality and the uncertain about the future. We grieve over the things we have lost, and those who have lost loved ones. We shed tears and utter prayers asking God, “Why is this happening?”

This year, we may have an added despair of Good Friday, and that is okay. I think there may even be a new type of sadness that is also felt on Easter Sunday when we celebrate the Resurrection in individual households because we are unable to gather together. And that is okay.

God sees your tears. He knows your feelings of loss and grief. And He has not abandoned us.

Holy Week is a reminder that He is the one true King! He came to die for our sins and to bring the Kingdom of God. Satan was the enemy He came to fight, and the grave shows His victory for all who would trust in Him!

This year will look different than any other Easter celebration, but maybe it will help guide us closer to Our Savior with greater dependence on Our God. Maybe it will cause us to understand in a new way the depth of sacrifice Jesus gave to bring us near. Maybe, just maybe, it will stir up a deeper gratitude and affection for Jesus. And if that is the case, then praise be to God! For His alone is worthy!

Being Grounded in Gratitude.

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We are all in a season of loss. There are lot of things around us we are losing amidst “shelter-in-place” orders, sickness, and uncertainties of the future. Some of us may be experiencing more loss than others, but we know the feeling of loss well, especially right now.

Maybe the loss you are experiencing is present…loss of connecting with community, loss of physical touch if you live by yourself, loss of sanity if you are now both mom and teacher, or loss of a job. Maybe the loss you are experiencing is future oriented…no future securities, postponed weddings, or canceled vacations. But whatever the losses you are experiencing are, they are significant and the Lord sees those things that you have had to give up or have been taken from you over the last few weeks.

I was listening to a study on anxiety the other day and they were talking about how the brain works… which, side note, I think the brain is fascinating and if you have any good books that are not super technical, I would love to read those!! Anyways, they were saying that the pathways used in our brains that indicate anxiety, worry, and stress are the same ones used for gratitude and thanksgiving! So it’s actually impossible to be anxious and grateful at the same time.

I started to think about that, and was curious, “Is that really true? Can I experience a feeling of anxiety while I’m also experiencing gratitude?” And as I thought I about this, I came to the conclusion that this is true!

Now I know that there are a LOT of types of anxiety and that anxiety can also be a clinical diagnosis which requires medication and professional help. I think medication and professional help are both good and right places to go in the midst of anxiety. And I encourage my friends who experience this deep, clinical level of anxiety to use those good graces given to us for help. This is good and right.

I also think that there is something behind the science of our brains and that gratitude is a really helpful thing to consider. We can be grounded in gratitude because it reorients our minds to focus on the things that are truly important. We are forced, in gratitude, to look beyond our present situation or circumstance. We are required to shift our emotions to be grateful, even if it’s just for a moment.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12

So in this season of uncertainty and loss, I encourage you to be grateful. Begin and end each day with writing down something you are grateful for. Try to be specific. Instead of being thankful for “another day” be specific about what you are thankful for. Maybe it’s that the sunshine feels warm on your skin. Or maybe you are thankful for the time you have today to watch a movie with your roommates and relax with them. Maybe you are thankful for the trees that are blossoming outside your window because they remind you that God is still at work and continues to care for even the trees and flowers.

Be grateful. And let your mind, emotions, and experiences in this world be grounded in gratitude. Spending time in thanksgiving does something to your brain, and through I don’t know all the specific scientific terms and chemistry dynamics, I know that change happens because I experience a changed mindset and renewed perspective in the midst of gratitude.

So if you feel anxious today about another day doing the same things again in your home, or you feel that deep sense of loss as you cancel yet another plan you were looking forward to, stop and take a moment to be grateful. Let gratitude ground you in what is true as the Lord of heaven and earth refocuses your mind on His eternal Kingdom and forever reign!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

You are Much More Valuable.

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25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

I think a lot of us need to take a moment and read through those verses slowly right now. And hey, we have the time… am I right?! So do that right now. Go back and read those verses slowly.

COVID-19 has been a disorienting and incredibly intense situation to watch unfold over the last few weeks. And yet, I just have a deeper and greater hope in the reality that God is with us, He sees us, and He cares for us.

Matthew 6:25-34 give us some really great truths to hold on to. Obviously, the main idea in this passage is “Do not worry.” Jesus is guiding his hearers to truth by pointing them to trust that God is the one who is in control and who cares for His world. He is asking His hearers to have a new perspective and understanding by reminding them that there is One True King who is Lord over all!

Jesus supports the idea of “do not worry” by talking about two examples: the birds and the flowers. These are both things that are pretty common and we see them often. Jesus says that the birds do not store up food or worry about tomorrow. They live day-by-day, trusting that they will be provided for. And God provides for them day after day after day. If God cares for the birds, who fly around everywhere, sometimes are very annoying to us, and who are not made in the image of God, how much more does He care for YOU!?

“Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Matthew 6:26b

Then Jesus tells us about the flowers, or lilies of the field. These are actually wildflowers… just simple flowers that grow in a field that no one cares for or tends to. Many of these flowers that pop up will not even be seen by the human eye! And yet, God cares for them. He sees them and calls them beautiful and valuable. How much more, friend, does God care for you…who are made in His image and lasts far longer than the flowers which wither quickly and fade away? You are so much more valuable.

“…will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

Matthew 6:30b

I love that in each of these examples, Jesus points our attention to our value being “much more” than the birds and the flowers. Both of these things seem so delicate and dependent. Jesus reminds us that we are of so much more value than these, helping us gain a perspective on life where God is the true King. If we understand our right position as image bearers and children, and trust God to be in charge, then we have no need of worry because we serve a good King who knows each of our needs!

The Lord was so kind to have me teach our middle school students on the verses above at our last gathering as a group for the foreseeable future. How kind is the Lord to leave those students and leaders with the message of “Do not worry” and “You are much more valuable than the birds and flowers!” Incredibly kind.

So today, I hope you hear the truths of these verses: Do not worry, for you are much more valuable than they! In the midst of constant change and alarming news, may you find security, safety, and stability in the words of Jesus, proclaimed 2,000 years ago on a mountainside across the world. Be encouraged, and set your perspective in the right place… on the One True King who is still ruling and reigning amidst it all. Then find someone else to encourage today! You are dearly loved, so do not worry.

The Disorienting Nature of COVID-19.

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Right now, I was supposed to be on the West Coast feeling the cool ocean breeze and hugging giant trees. But I’m not. The reality is, we all have things we were looking forward to over the next few days or weeks that have now been suspended, postponed, or canceled. COVID-19 is disorienting.

It’s easy to watch the news and hear about disasters and hardship in other places and not really feel it for yourself. Sure, maybe you can relate to some of the reports but you likely can’t relate to them all, nor can you actually know and experience what those people are experiencing at that very moment.

The coronavirus is different. With the first case reported on December 31, 2019 in China, it was easy to see that event and not believe it would effect that many people. And then it spread… quickly. This virus seemed to make the news almost overnight as it reached country after country, eventually landing in the United States.

Now we begin to feel it because now it affects us…in fact, it affects every single person on the planet. It’s affecting our friends and family living in other countries. It’s affecting our loved ones living in the U.S. in different states. And it’s affecting us… our plans, our hopes, and our day-to-day lives.

And for me, this is disorienting.

We don’t really seem to have a category to put our current lifestyle into. We walk around with caution, buy things in haste to stay prepared, and obsessively check the news. Some are responding with extreme caution while others are not missing a beat and continuing with their lives. But everyone is slowly becoming more and more aware to the reality and seriousness of this pandemic.

The feeling of disorientation is strange and seems to cause panic, frustration, and fear. No one likes this feeling because it feels out of control, with no stability. And let’s be honest, we all really like being in control.

Yet, in the midst of this disorienting time, there is a place we can go to find certainty, hope, and peace. That place is the Word of God, the Bible.

Taking time to sit in the presence of the Lord reorients us to what is true. The Bible tells us over and over again about how God is a safe refuge, a good Father, a shield, a rock, a fortress, a healer, and most importantly, He is God with us! Therefore, we can listen and respond to the most common command that God gives His people: “Do not fear.”

God tells His people to not fear because He is with them, He is in control, and He is a trustworthy and good God. He tells us not to worry because He cares for us and sees our needs. God reminds us that when we put our hope in the things of this world, they always leave us feeling empty, yet hope in God is certain and true.

I pray that today you would find time to take your cares, concerns, worries, and fears to the Lord, the God of heaven and earth. He is aware of what is going on, has not abandoned us, and deeply desires for His name to be glorified, even amidst the chaos of today. I pray that you would put your hope in Jesus, looking into God’s Word to see the beauty and grace of all that He is and all that He has done. Even through these are disorienting times, God is calling people to Himself and opening the door for people to put their full trust and hope in Him! And He is more than able to save!

Friends, we can have a certain, unswaying, and strong hope that goes beyond the cure of a virus or containment of the chaos. We can have a hope that reorients us to what is true. And that hope is in JESUS. Full, flourishing life is found only by trusting in His name. Run to Him today and let Him reorient you to truth. (And read the verse below. It’s my favorite verse and a great one to cling to in the days to come!)

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)

P.S. Here are some other verses that may give you hope, peace, and rest, helping you to be reoriented to the truth today. Feel free to comment below with some of your favorite verses as well!