Welcome to Part Two of “Surviving The Pandemic…Moving Through Loss, Grief & Finding Meaning Through It All.” As I outlined in our last post…
“There’s a lot to be said about what’s happening around us. Since COVID-19 hit the United States, the life that we once knew has drastically changed. The freedoms we once took for granted and for some, enjoyed, are now being stripped away. We’re not only dealing with so much physical death and uncertainty, but our lives as a whole, our future is now in limbo. Planning for tommorow…PAUSED! So, how do we survive this season, keep our head, move forward and not drown in all of our fears, loss and uncertainty? I’ll share with you today what The Lord has shared with me in learning how to navigate the heart break, fear and sudden change to propel us into purpose.”
Two take aways from the last post:
- Find the Silver Lining
- Give Yourselves Permission To Grieve
Today, I wanted to share with you a few more things The Lord laid on my heart:
3. Get Ready! Get ready for what? Get ready for The Will of God and His purpose for your life…the reason why you were created, your assignment…that entire reason behind why you were born. What The Lord wants us all to know is that were needed for a time like this…the world needs us like never before.
The Lord made us uniquely different and our experiences are different and unlike anyone else. Our footprint and fingerprint on the earth is unlike any other. We have a testimony and every experience we have gone through, the most horrible, can be used by God and turned around to give you your greatest meaning.
Isaiah 53 says “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine…Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
Psalm 139:13-16 – For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
God is calling people back to himself…He desires to use us. This is the time, in spite of the immense pain aroud us, God gave us power in Jesus to rise. He desires we take up our armor and follow the call of God and search, find and discover The Call of God for our lives and find meaning to it all…the hurts…pains…loses and redeem the time. It’s time to rise from our ashes and give the devil a beating who has killed, stolen and destroyed so much in our lives.
It’s time to take back what’s been stolen. It’s time to develop ourselves…get our finances in order…our health…our homes…our relationships…start that business…answer the call…I’m hearing the call of God in the wilderness…I’ve answered…Will you join me?
4. Prepare for Heaven & Get Our Houses in Order!
The day for superficiality is over! Everything, I mean EVERYTHING has stopped in its track and the life we once knew is no longer what we’ve come to know. Most of us live as though we’re never going to die.
Most of us, at least some, have not planned properly for our untimely death. We spend most of our days living, climbing and storing, but, little time preparing for our death. Wills, healthcare proxy’s, savings, life insurances, kids, possessions, our final wishes, unrepaired relationships, unresolved conflicts…to say the least, there’s a lot undone because we never want to talk or deal with death as if, we’re never going to die and we have time. This pandemic lets us know, we don’t have time.
It’s time to kick the elephant out the room and discuss those hard things…it’s the time and the season to put things in order and stop procrastinating.
Luke 12 says, “16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’”
5. It’s Time To Be Real With Our Kids About Life, Death & This Truth…Earth Is Not Our Home!
Death is a topic as parents we try to shield our kids from…this is not the case any longer. This pandemic forces us to have to explain hard unexplainable truths to our children about death…our loved ones dying and for now, never seeing them again while on the earth.
This horrible truth about death started for me at the age of 7. My grandmother passed unexpectedly and I was told she went to heaven. As a child believer, this sounded great, but the undeniable void I felt afterwards that my very best friend was no longer here and I would have to navigate life without my special friend crippled me for life. No one in my family expected that death and they too, weren’t prepared and they didn’t know for themselves how to cope nevertheless teach me how to navigate it…so we all we’re broken and I, we, suffered in silence. No one was prepared for death.
Now being 43 years old and having to go through death as an adult, it was only through Christ and therapy, did I learn more about the grieving process after dealing with on 4 hands the number of deaths in my lifetime and how it killed my soul…now…I’m ready to teach my youngest, both girls in fact, about life and our existence on the earth and what God has to say about it.
Here are some things the Lord laid on my heart to teach them:
a. Earth is not our home, Heaven is our real home. We are created by God and sent to earth for a little while to fulfill a assignment for God, do a good work, but once we are done, we go back home to heaven. Earth is not our home…we’re only here for a short while…once our time and assignment is complete, we go back home and our bodies…return to dust like Adams and our spirits, Go back to God forever to live with Him again when we place our faith in Christ.
Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.“
b. It’s Not Good-bye, but, I’ll see you later! Life is about change…transformation…seasons…Like the changing time, Everything Has Its Time & Season…life…people…fun…hurt…And when one door closes…God opens up something new. Death is not the end…its the beginning of our new beginning with God and those that love the Lord, we’ll see them again and never be separated ever again!
Ecclesiastes 3: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time [a]to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; 3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down,
And a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; 7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; 8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace
…11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.
12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
15 That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; 20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21 Who[g] knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?”
I showed her “Heaven Is For Real” and “Miracle of Heaven” so she understands the concept and the little spirit in her became excited…this little 5,7,now 9 year old understands, she doesn’t like it, the foundational principals of life, death and our place here on earth.
As Christian and followers of Jesus, we have to talk with our kids about these things. We have to pray for an open door when and how to share, but He will show us. We do our kids a major disservice hiding these things…they need to know now how to manage death so later, they won’t be surprised, broken and crippled later because they are clueless to this taboo topic.
This is just to scratch the surface of the basic truths and conversations of what I’ve been talking to my youngest about, both my girls but especially the youngest. I have to have honest conversations with her, “When God calls me home to heaven…” We often talk about death and it gives her insight to appreciate now…our moments are only moments.
Is it a hard conversation, of course, but I was forced to talk to her about this since she was a toddler because I have to prepare her for the unexpected. We talk about death, heaven, God, I pull out the scriptures, show her videos so she’s not afraid of it. She understands she won’t live forever…I won’t live forever…is that scary…yes…but we talk about God’s home and the bliss we’ll feel…Heaven is for real and we don’t need to be scared to death…Jesus is waiting for us in that new transition.
She understands we’re all like butterflies…transitioning through life…going from one stage of life to another.
We too have to make peace in our heart…Earth is not our home…so everyday…we have to prepare for heaven and be kingdom minded.
Leaving me to my last point,
6. Be Present! Be purposeful in everything you do. Smell the flowers…laugh more…find meaning in small things…dance more…fight to keep your joy…don’t stress the small stuff…if everyone is well, all is well and leave the silly stuff there…make moments…create memories…hug more…think about your legacy and plan to leave one behind…write down things to leave for your loved ones…make every moment count.
Hoping you took something from these writings. From my heart to yours! Praying for you all!
Continue to join me as I share with you what Christ is sharing with me about overcoming. As always, Be Encouraged, Stay Connected, Fight & Let’s Become Free Together!
Join me on B.O.O.M!’s YouTube Page for “B.O.O.M!’s Dealing With Grief & Loss Series” and may The Lord comfort you as you move forward in your grief journey.
Yours in Christ,
Ke’Shawn Adamson,
B.O.O.M!
