2020 is...A LOT!!!

There’s no doubt that 2020 has been rough. Tempestuous, if we’re being honest. I’m sure none of us thought that on December 31, 2019 as the clock struck midnight, and we excitedly welcomed in "the year of vision" that the first quarter of the new year would be a doozy, and appear to set the tone for the rest of the year. From the sudden and tragic death of Kobe Bryant to the onslaught on a global pandemic that has impacted the lives of millions of people. The civil unrest that has taken the nation by storm, the senseless killings, police brutality, the countless protests, the political mayhem, the historical highs of unemployment, the transitions of our Civil Rights icons, and the recent and unexpected loss of our favorite superhero. Needless to say, 2020 has been A LOT!!! A lot of changes, a lot of disappointments, and a lot of uncertainty. And now, here we are, in the last quarter of the year, barely hanging on.

We have dealt with so much this year. We are tired. We’re mentally exhausted, emotionally strained, and spiritually fatigued. But, guess what? We’re still here! When I reflect over everything that has happened in this year alone, I’m sooo grateful to God that I’M STILL HERE! If you’re reading this, YOU’RE STILL HERE! I need you to understand, it didn’t have to be this way! God didn’t have to spare you or me. He didn’t have to grant either of us another day. Truthfully, neither of us deserve His grace or mercy, but because He is both, gracious and merciful, He has allowed us to be here!

Even with everything that is going on, do your best to not get caught up in murmuring and complaining. I get it, 2020 has been hard. It’s been depressing. It’s been filled with anger and loss. I get it, I really do. But, you know what else I get? I also get that God is STILL good. He's STILL on the throne and He's STILL sovereign. Nothing that has happened this year has caught him by surprise. I promise you He is well aware and in complete control!

I challenge you to find the joy in each day. Find the laughter, the solace that each new day brings. Each new day is filled with brand new mercies and opportunities. God is with us, even when we feel alone, or that no one really understands what we're dealing with. The fact that we're still here, is proof that we're not alone.

We have 4 months left in this year. There is a lot at stake. The pressure is mounting. Anxiety is at an all time high. These conditions although they are uncomfortable for many of us, it is just right for God. So in this last quarter of the year, I challenge you to STAY THE COURSE! Now is not the time to lose sight of what's ahead. Don’t get distracted. Get focused.

David said in Psalms 27:13 “I would have fainted, (I would have lost heart) in other words: I would have thrown in the towel, I would have given up, I would have quit, UNLESS I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” Even with everything that 2020 has thrown our way, I still believe God, emphatically!! I still believe in His promises. I still believe that He's going to make good on them. I still believe that He knows what's best for me and you! And yes, even in the year of 2020 as uncertain as it is, I still believe that "The BEST is yet to come!" Be encouraged!

Be well, love well

Love y'all,

Kristi