Finding Shalom in the Dark

Isaiah 34:8
For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion's cause. "

  Today we are all trying to find our way in this new normal we call life. Mothers, all of you right now are having to be the teacher, the cook, the medic, the cleaner, the stabilizer in your families. Not one of you is the exception as we trudge through this hard time of finding a new way of living. It is a stressful time for us all, I am no different, finding my way through this fog has been a challenge to say the least. But among the confusion, the fear, the worry and anxiety is something we mothers must cling to. Until recently I was not able to do it myself, but with persistence in God's word I found how to cling to the one thing that can get all of us through these new and unfamiliar times. For me, I was doing pretty darn good until our President announced that we would need to continue restrictions until April 30th at the least. I don't know about you, but my heart dropped. I was already feeling the fatigue and boredom set in, now I was facing down right depression. The slightest thing that would not go as planned, a phone dropping off the counter (yep it happened) or talking with a loved one and then realizing I wouldn't be seeing them for Easter (yep, that happened too) would throw my day off. I would close up our house and set the kids in front of the TV and drown out my feelings with TV of my own. I had lost my Shalom...
  So before I get into my post's details lets talk about Shalom. Many believe Shalom is peace but don't fully grasp that concept. This kind of peace doesn't just fit into no wars, no famine, no hatred. On the contrary this peace is referred to as the wholeness of God. Shalom is the peace given to us by the Holy Spirit regardless of our situation. This peace isn't only found when things are going well, but can be found when things are hard, scary, dreadful. This peace can be given anytime, anyplace and under any situation. The good, the bad, the ugly; the Spirit's shalom for us calms us when the seas are towering over our heads. When I was able to regain my shalom things changed. President Trump's month long restrictions didn't give me shalom but instead God's word did. I was reading in Isaiah. I came across chapter 34 verse 2 which stated, The Lord is angry with ALL nations; his wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter... Now I know what you are thinking. Christen, how in the world did this passage give you shalom? It didn't, but it did get me thinking about how we as a world have been pushing our Father out of every aspect of our lives if it interfered with how we wanted to live. As a mother, if my children were doing that; lets face it right now they are doing that LOL. They would and HAVE been getting my wrath! Our loving Father is no exception. Verse 8 which was stated at the top gave me my shalom, the key words being "for Zion's cause". As Christians we must never forget that all of this is for God and His plans are perfect to assure Zion's cause. Now I have no idea if we will be dealing with this epidemic for a full year (as the verse states), but I do find it funny that the time frame President Trump gave me showered no peace but fear and dread despite being a lot shorter than a year. With this passage I felt the Spirit cover me in shalom, to the point I am writing to you now full of hope and excited anticipation. Do I still pray it doesn't take that long, you bet! Do I accept that God's will may mean it takes longer, YES! I am not just pulling verses, which is huge, but also facts. Using worldmeters.info I have been tracking the virus for every country and even our own states. So feel free to check out my facts yourself. But from what I am following this will not be over quickly. I believe it was no coincidence that the first reported case in China was December 31, 2019 https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen . That brings me to the main point of this post. 

Hebrews 12:11 No DISCIPLINE seems pleasant at the time, but PAINFUL. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE (Shalom) for those who have been trained by it. "

  Now onto the encouraging point of this post. If God is loving then why is He allowing this to happen? Well that answer, I believe, comes down to upholding Zion's cause. God has a plan, we know this from Revelation, but to get to Revelation we have to still be here! Below is how He is making sure the world makes it to the second coming of Christ.

The Value of Human Life Restored

  Up until this virus began to sweep across the world, mankind had lost all value of human life. Not only were the unborn being slaughtered and is to this day the largest genocide in human history, but the lines were already beginning to stretch. The elderly and mentally struggling were next on the list to "humanely euthanizing" (sometimes, not even humanely). There were reports starting to spread about the sick and elderly being starved to death.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2019-03-04/abortions-rise-worldwide-when-us-cuts-funding-women-s-health-clinics-study-finds 
https://www.dailywire.com/news/netherlands-elderly-woman-forcibly-euthanized-paul-bois 
https://www.conservativereview.com/news/murder-disguise-disabled-frenchman-dies-9-days-court-ordered-forced-starvation/ 
As mothers the value of life is our primal weapon. We would do anything to protect our children, even die for them. But as years have seen, the opposite has been reality. I was one of them, with my daughter Adara May, for the full story see https://www.halfwaytosundaymom.com/blog/losing-control and https://www.halfwaytosundaymom.com/blog/raising-lazarus-healing-after-abortion . God is desperate for us to value each life as He does. I believe after this epidemic the value of human life will have restored significantly. After losing so many, unexpectedly, we will once again cherish the ones who are here and yet to come. As mothers this should be so encouraging as we raise the next generations of youth.

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Proverbs 24:11-12 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? "

World Wide Hunger Will Decrease

  We must remember that NEVER in the history of mankind have we been able to communicate and travel anywhere in the world like we can today. There has been SO much food shortages where there never should have been. But because of legalistic and political gains and money hungry opportunist people, world wide hunger was a huge problem. But I believe this will change too.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/climate/food-waste-emissions.html 
https://www.wfpusa.org/stories/8-facts-to-know-about-food-waste-and-hunger/ 
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/15-07-2019-world-hunger-is-still-not-going-down-after-three-years-and-obesity-is-still-growing-un-report 
As mothers it is our job to teach our children not only the value of not wasting food, but also on feeding those less fortunate. Because of this virus, some, not all, but some people who never had to want for food are struggling. This new appreciation for the food they have on their tables, I believe will spread once this virus is gone. People will learn they can live on less, others will learn to be grateful for left overs, and others will learn how to truly help a stranger in need. So mothers, until this is over, teach your children the value of eating what you are given, even if it is those left overs. LOL

​Luke 3:10-11 And the crowds asked him, "What then shall we do?" And he answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise. "

The Environment Will Rebound

  This is so very exciting! The world is already seeing results of the environment resetting itself. Reports are coming in, with the waterways being used less, gas emissions way down and cars off the road, people outside walking and not inside, buildings and housing production ceasing, etc. The earth is healing. It wont be perfect, we know from the Bible that wont happen until the second appearing. But some of what we lost from exploitation will come back. 
https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/coronavirus/venice-canals-clear-dolphins-swim-italy-lockdown/ https://www.foxnews.com/science/ozone-layer-healing-growing-evidence-montreal-protocol.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51944780
This has the potential for being worldwide changing! A second chance to do things a little better then before. And who knows, if this virus does linger for a year, what other environmental positives will happen?! As mothers this will be a lesson worth teaching our children about how to take care of the temporary home God has given us charge over. Being good stewards and trustworthy with what we have.

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​1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. "

Revival of Humanities Health

  As mothers we can all associate with this one. For weeks now we have been wracking our brains to come up with new or even permanent ideas on how to keep our children entertained OUTSIDE. It doesn't matter what time of day I am out walking, there are always others out now. Husbands and wives, mothers with children and my personal favorite... fathers with their children! I have seen fathers teaching their kids to fish, throw a baseball, throw a football, teaching how to ride bikes. I love it!!! There is something so... joyful, in seeing a father nurturing his children. With all this time outside and actives to keep little ones occupied it is no wonder. Inflatable pools (guilty, that will be a gift for Easter), swingsets, trampolines, blow up hose sprayers, basketball hoops, and the list continues. Human health is one the rise. With the rationing of food which causes us to not over indulge and activeness outside, humans are looking GOOD!
  I actually couldn't find any articles supporting this! But eye witness accounts on this mommy's part has to count for something. LOL. I truly believe when all is said and done, humans will have learned how to be healthier and the results will show.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. "

The Not So Obvious Positives

  There are other outlooks that you wont find in a news article, but as Christians we can have hope and faith in seeing as these days continue. Families will have grown closer together. Certainly, if you allow the devil in your home, you could very well end up feeling like crap. But if you seek Shalom as a FAMILY, praying together, worshiping together, reading the word together, I PROMISE you; your relationships will deepen and strengthen.
  While we are on the subject of relationships, I believe forgiveness will be on an all time high. Not knowing if someone you are not talking to could contract the disease or even has, will bring walls down. Forgiveness will be the sweet water over pouring into the world. This killer will unite the world on all fronts. I believe enemies will be shown love and forgiveness, just as Jesus commanded. Estranged relationships will be restored.
  People will now have a new value of appreciation for what the have. Greed and gluttony will decrease, good stewardship will return. People will take care of what they have and "stuff" wont seems as important anymore.
  And if I dare say it, I believe, God will be restored in our schools again. Not as a pushing blow torch but as a gentle flame. The pledge which mentions His name restored, Bibles allowed back in schools without fear, love and grace taught above all else, speaking of God out loud and not in secret. A beautiful thought.
  Ultimately, I believe that this virus will call thousands to Him. They will come, seeking Shalom that only His Spirit can offer. People will want to know there is a reason for this hurt, not just some random chaos in the universe. For the glory of God is always the goal to seek in anything that happens. Good or bad, that is why He offers us His shalom; so that even in the dark He can carry us through it.
   

Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. "

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  This has been a long post, and I thank you mothers for sticking with me through the end. This is just the vision I am getting, going off of what I am seeing and what the Word says. But I do know for sure, during this time we must cling to Hebrews 12:11. Know that you will get through this, God will not let this last forever. Be comforted in knowing that as hard as this may seem, God appointed YOU mothers, right here and right now, for this exact test on earth. Know that there is still an end time for earth, and continue to pray and seek Him afterwards when things turn good. When the world is on the mountain top again, continue to pray and seek His knowledge.  And when this is over, this test will become your testimony. This mess will become THE message for those to come. This is God's world, He was, is and always will be the one in control; even when we try to tell Him otherwise, He is still the pot maker and we are forever still the clay.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. "