God is restoring something in you during these days of change…what is it?

I decided to write a love letter to God, thanking Him for these challenging times. I will review it in six months and see what I am leaning about my relationship with God, myself and others.

Dear Heavenly Father; these days of quarantine have been strange but revealing. Here are some changes for which I am grateful:

• I am able to “get to mass” almost every day, and pray with communities online which enrich our brother/sisterhood in Christ and feels more awesome and powerful than before.
• I shop less and need less. I think less about what I need to buy.
• I worry about how I appear to others less, while still taking care of myself.
• I am prioritizing exercise and walking a few miles a day.
• I get an unexpected chance to bring my family together to the dinner table each night. It may be the last time in our little history that we will all live under the same roof as a family unit, as everyone grows into their own marriages and goes off to school or train in the fall.
• I realize even more how much I am restored by my sisters in Christ and our prayer meetings (although digital) are the heartbeat of my week. I rely on their kindred spirits and the presence of the Holy Spirit among us to guide me in increased ways of charity and faith.
• Some things that seem so urgent and important, fueled by the adrenaline of rushing around in our cars, stuck to schedules and slowed by all the other business, are not so urgent. They are not so important. My peace of mind is too valuable to hand over to those things.
• I didn’t realize the amount of time we spend planning ahead. Now that we cannot talk for sure about what is going to happen in a week or a month increases our dependence on God, and His providence for our lives. We aren’t promised tomorrow. Making the most of today is the best thing I can do.

Spend some time reflecting on the disposition of your heart at this moment. Write a note to the Lord, thanking Him for what He is making new in you. Keep the letter somewhere safe (your bible?) and set a reminder on your phone for six months from now. Put the location of your note in your phone and remind yourself to take it to prayer. When you review it, make more notes about the changes in your life. What you gained and learned from the pandemic, and how you can apply these changes by adapting your schedule. Thank the Lord for these insights. Let me know if you are in! Comment below.