There is panic in the air, on the news, and in the faces of strangers we pass in the streets. I make a conscious effort to keep this sense of fear at bay and not allow it to invade my heart and dominate my thoughts.

What active things can I do? Certainly there are the outward directives provided by health professionals, our President, and his task force. But as a follower of Jesus, I need to do inward work.

Here are my notes to self:

Believe God is in charge.
Protect my mind with a mantle of trust and praise.
Remember others and offer to help where I can.

Allow life’s essentials to be enough.
Let my regular routine be “crossed out.”
Know that God’s goodness will prevail.

I was walking in the woods this morning and saw lichen growing on a tree. I had this thought, ‘don’t let the moss grow on your mind. Keep moving forward with trust in the One who is our only true anchor in times like these.’

I pray this beautiful Psalm for all of us, Psalm 121:

I will life up my eyes to the hills,
From where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved:
He who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
Your going out and your coming in
From this time on and forevermore.