Although I understand why it was necessary to protect our children I also know it has been devastating on them at a time when they should be flourishing.

5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” 6 so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.

What will man do to me?” Hebrews 13

Many of our children have been remote learning for a full year without any physical contact with their classmates and teachers. Boy's, I'm told, have done worse during this pandemic with a decrease in their critical thinking and executive functioning skills. 

 Both boys and girls have fallen behind in their social development with many showing signs of anxiety and depression.  When the CDC said imagine everyone around you having Corona this statement made people anxious because was said to keep people apart. 

In the past year, there were no group birthday parties because of the fear of the spread. We tried to make up for that with drive-by birthday celebrations wishing from a distance happy birthday greetings.  But, it wasn't the same as having friends help you celebrate with a birthday cake, watching you blow out your candles, and watching you open up the gift they bought you. 

My fear is that we may not see for several years the impact of this pandemic on our children.  Many will be just fine. Others who experience trauma from a death in the family may not be so fortunate. 

 Today, I listened to a speaker who spoke on the increasing levels of mental illness stemming from this pandemic with a rising percentage of suicides from the hopelessness within. I learned that the Governor was opening up several suicide prevention hotlines so people thinking of ending it all can call a compassionate listener to share their story.  I've learned from my own experience that everyone who is experiencing trauma needs to be allowed to share their story- sometimes multiple times until the emotional pain is minimized.

As someone who personally faced trauma after the loss of his daughter in 2007, I can attest that it is possible to recover and thrive in a new normal.  Yet, I didn't do it without the compassionate listeners of the grief groups I attended, or the grief share groups I was apart of for several cycles. 

In this short clip, we have the characters from Frozen are singing about the corona and wondering why they have to be alone.  I think it powerfully illustrates the importance of having friends in our lives who energize us as human beings. 

 If you are struggling with grief and loss at a time when we are isolated from one another, I encourage you to consider getting involved in a 13-week GriefShare group by registering for one at this link:  Https://www.griefshare.org

Finally, God is still in control and He alone will help you conquer the emotional lows of this virus. Like I did in 1974, Jesus Christ is standing at the door of your life, knocking and wanting you to invite him in. Won't you say yes to Jesus and allow him to walk beside you on this difficult path of the coronavirus? 

You will be glad you did.