Kristen Grossman Prose

I have been working hard for the past two weeks to keep my mind focused on positive things. After all, in a letter to the Philippians, Paul encourages the church to do so.

 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

I still believe it is essential to focus on the blessings around me rather than letting fear take control. However, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasters yesterday, Annie F. Downs, on That Sounds Fun. In this episode, titled Quarantine Episode 1, Annie, currently quarantined due to exposure to COVID-19, mentioned that it is important to allow yourself the space to grieve. Those words resonated with me as I considered the tangible things that my friends and family are losing. Furthermore, we are globally experiencing the loss of innocence, security, and even certain freedoms.

I grieve for the student musicians and performers who have been working and rehearsing only to have their vocal competitions and musical performances canceled. My heart goes out to the athletes who have trained hard for matches that are not occurring. I grieve for students who have looked forward to senior class trips only to have them canceled. I am sad for third-year physical therapy students who are turned away from the clinical rotations necessary to graduate because hospitals are limiting non-essential healthcare workers. I feel for those who have scrimped, saved, and planned dream vacations only to have their travel plans crushed. I mourn for those who are following the stock market and suffering from a loss of financial security.

So, I allow myself to grieve for the things my family, friends, and neighbors are suffering. And then, I refocus on the many blessings for which I can be grateful.

I am grateful that all of our little family currently resides in the same state, making getting to each other relatively easy. I am thankful that Enterprise waived their Young Driver Rental Fee and lowered the age limit for car rentals so college students like my son can drive home.

I am thankful for the gift of technology. I do not have to wonder how my parents are faring. I can see their faces and hear their voices through my laptop or smartphone. I was able to experience the blessing of hearing my nephew sing a beautiful solo at his choir concert over 2,000 miles away. I can listen to songs of worship and praise by opening up Spotify or logging on to YouTube. I can worship with my church, which is streaming services on Facebook. I am on my knees with my Moms in Prayer group through emailed requests. I can witness beautiful moments from around the world, such as Italians making music together from their separate balconies. I am thankful for the Dwell Bible app, which allows me to close my eyes and listen to the word of God.

I try to focus on the beautiful moments and the gift of added downtime with my husband and children. I pray we will find ways to use this time to accomplish things we found impossible to achieve when we were all running around in so many different directions.

Then, when fearful thoughts try to work their way into my mind and heart, I pull out my Bible to focus on the words of God. God is with us. He is our strength. He is our hope. He is in control, and with Him, all things are possible. May we all allow ourselves the space to grieve. Then, may we turn our hearts to the things that are lovely and good, even in these painful circumstances.

Dear God, thank you that nothing is a surprise to you and that you are in control even when circumstances seem out of control. I grieve the losses that come with a worldwide pandemic. I also lift up my heart in gratitude for the blessings that are apparent even in this challenging time.

P.S. Friends, I have made a downloadable sheet of 5 verses that help me to focus on faith instead of fear. If you would like a copy of this PDF, subscribe to my blog, and I will be glad to send you a copy. 💙