The past 15 months have been a game-changer for most of us. At the risk of stating the obvious, our lives have all been turned upside-down by the strangest of circumstances.
For sadly too many of us, this has meant unexpected grief at the premature death of a loved one to covid.
For all of us, the pandemic has impacted our lives to a greater or lesser extent. So whilst we are not all in the same boat, we have all been through the same storm.
It can be hard to process how it has affected us. The twists and turns of restrictions imposed and eased and imposed again may have left us with a jumbled picture of the past year or so. Whilst wearing a face mask and working from home now feel like second nature, the absence of connection with others, dealing with disappointment, grief for what has been lost and living with ambiguity are not things we get used to.
As we approach the hope of a full easing of restrictions, we know that this virus is something we will have to live with. It’s a different world out there. Are we ready to face this future? Have we processed the past? In order to move ahead, it is helpful to take some dedicated time to reflect and revisit the story that began (in the UK at least) in March 2020.
There will have been highs and lows, blessings and challenges. In all of this we each have a different story. I have been amazed again and again, in my own community, at how people have come together and broken down the usual cultural barriers, to support and look out for one another. I have got to know more people in my local community than ever before. Our church has had new opportunities to connect with our neighbours and be a blessing to many. There is an increased sense of needing one another and being ready and willing to meet those needs. And boy, do we appreciate our NHS like never before! I have learned to be grateful for things I didn’t even know I had before. I have known God’s presence in a new way.
FamilyLife is committed to helping transform relationships. We believe that having a relationship with Jesus is the most transforming thing of all. The biggest blessings and challenges throughout this pandemic will often revolve around relationships. We have created for you a tool to help you reflect on the impact of this pandemic on you and your relationship. We call it a debrief, which in its broadest sense is pausing, remembering, and telling the story about a particular event or season.
We would encourage you to do this. The debrief is suitable for people with a Christian faith or not, but we hope it will encourage you to consider God in the midst of your experience. You may be surprised and encouraged at what it brings up and we hope that it will serve you well in helping you move into this new future.
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