Listen

Exalted one, whenever I’m afraid, I put my trust in you— in God, whose word I praise. I trust in God; I won’t be afraid.

You yourself have kept track of my misery. Put my tears into your bottle— aren’t they on your scroll already?

Psalm 56:2b-4a, 8

Think

Being afraid is a normal feeling we all experience. Whether it’s being afraid because of a bug, heights, thunder, circumstance, or experience, it is a universal feeling we all have. Waking up these days might have you feeling this emotion. There is a lot we don’t know. Will this school year be “normal”? Will we have to quarantine again? What has changed and what has stayed the same? You’ve been through a lot over the past year and a half and you will have changed. Your friends will have changed as well and that can lead to lots of unknowns.

The goodness that is provided to us through faith in God is the confidence that we aren’t alone. Having faith in God means that we can emerge out of our fear knowing that God knows what we are capable of and is with us. It doesn’t mean we won’t be afraid anymore, but it does mean that God is with us, always, even as we walk through the unknown.

Marnie Fisher-Ingram

Pray

God, thank you for opening up your arms and holding me in the midst of all the unknowns these days. Amen.

Go

Go into this world confidently.
Go into this world free from fear.
Go into this world full of peace.
Go into this world with kindness.

Go knowing whatever normal is for you, God loves you. God is with you.

Go.