I am a screaming extrovert!
I am talkative, sociable,
action-oriented, enthusiastic, friendly, and out-going. I have to
admit I love connecting with people! Contrary
to popular belief, I do have a FaceBook page, an Instagram and LinkedIn account
and I do send text messages. Call me old fashioned, but I’d rather talk to
friends by phone and prefer to meet with them in person over a delicious
meal. Social media is so limiting to me.
I can’t see the pain in their eyes when they’re sharing a heartbreaking story
or shedding tears of joy when as share of their engagement or some other momentous news. I love catching up with friends after work or
church to encourage them when they’re feeling down and or share
a few chuckles. During fellowship period, we were all used to kissing each
other on the cheek, shaking hands or exchanging hugs. Now, should we see a
friend at Walmart while frantically shopping for toilet paper, we’ve been reduced
to greet each other with an elbow bump or a chic three-finger wave keeping at least 6 feet distance.
In an online article I was reminded how the COVID-19 pandemic highlights
all of the ways we are all once connected. Now the experts want us to social distance to "flatten the curve" which should give our health care system a fighting chance.
Inevitability, short-term loneliness and isolation will come from
limiting interactions with one another. For many this, will be hard. Our plans to visit friends in person have been
squelched (at least for the time being). Just the thought of this makes me feel sad and
lonely.
Then I was reminded of how the Apostle Paul must have felt when he was sentenced to die (2 Timothy 4:6-9 KJV). He asked his son in the ministry, Timothy, to come see him. Paul craved fellowship and staring death in the face, he asked Timothy to come “diligently”. Paul used this word because he wanted to express how serious he was about wanting to see Timothy.
God’s Girl, here is the good news. We are not in the same position as the Apostle with regards to being sentenced to die, yet we may feel a deep sense of loneliness. We may crave a hug, handshake or a kiss on the cheek. We may want or even need someone to check-in with us in person to remind us to stay both physically and spiritually healthy. Until we receive an ‘all clear’ to resume with these normalcies, I suggest we spend time thinking of ways we can connect with each other.
Many of you were assigned a Secret Sister during our Christmas prayer breakfast. If you haven’t recently connected with your Secret Sister, won’t you take a few moments today to brighten her smile by reaching out to her? Like you, she may crave fellowship which will undoubtedly squelch some of her feelings of the newly coined ‘loneliness epidemic’ stemming from COVID-19. Please take a few minutes today to reach out to lift her spirits…I am sure she will be glad you did.
Finally, God's Girls, remember we are Renewed, Righteous and Relational!
Then I was reminded of how the Apostle Paul must have felt when he was sentenced to die (2 Timothy 4:6-9 KJV). He asked his son in the ministry, Timothy, to come see him. Paul craved fellowship and staring death in the face, he asked Timothy to come “diligently”. Paul used this word because he wanted to express how serious he was about wanting to see Timothy.
God’s Girl, here is the good news. We are not in the same position as the Apostle with regards to being sentenced to die, yet we may feel a deep sense of loneliness. We may crave a hug, handshake or a kiss on the cheek. We may want or even need someone to check-in with us in person to remind us to stay both physically and spiritually healthy. Until we receive an ‘all clear’ to resume with these normalcies, I suggest we spend time thinking of ways we can connect with each other.
Many of you were assigned a Secret Sister during our Christmas prayer breakfast. If you haven’t recently connected with your Secret Sister, won’t you take a few moments today to brighten her smile by reaching out to her? Like you, she may crave fellowship which will undoubtedly squelch some of her feelings of the newly coined ‘loneliness epidemic’ stemming from COVID-19. Please take a few minutes today to reach out to lift her spirits…I am sure she will be glad you did.
Finally, God's Girls, remember we are Renewed, Righteous and Relational!
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