Peace in Turmoil

Sunday is a day of rest, but not apparently for the COVID-19 virus.  We woke to the news of record level of the virus. Most chilling to me are the reports out of Italy because I feel that our country is following along its trajectory more so than the Asian countries.

I have been texting with my siblings through the day.  We have shared with each other articles. Some are more factual than others.  We discussed how we sift through information.  I was asked which sources that I trust the most.  I stick with the usual news sources for data.  I don't have access to the data any better than the rest of society. I have been trained to pick out what is meaningful and what to discard.  I stay away from social media sources.

I was also asked about masks. I continue to see many who are confused about how they work in preventing spread.  Thankfully from everything that I have read that this corona virus is spread like the common cold or influenza, by droplets and not by being aerosolized like chicken pox or measles.  As such, the masks are most important to put on patients who are actively coughing.  They are good for health care workers who could be within three feet of the individual should the patient cough on them.  Other than that, it is all about good hand washing.

It has been easy to get sucked into the vortex of the news cycle.  We are all feeling anxious. I am grateful for the peace I find from our Lord Jesus Christ who promised, "peace  I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Even when our heart is pounding and worry is all around, he can provide peace. Gina while studying the scriptures today felt this as she read of Enos who after receiving an answer to his prayer said, "I knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest."  I love that, rest to the soul. Now, how do we maintain this peace?  It is not easy and in the days ahead there will be struggles to come.  We can do it together.