March 20, 2020

It’s crazy how fast things can change.

Just two weeks ago, we were overwhelmed by the craziness of everyday life.

Maybe you were gearing up for spring sports, school competitions, or shopping for a prom dress.
You were excited about graduations, or concerts and field trips, prepping for school tests and more.
And now, “cancelled,” “postponed,” “suspended” are all words you here on a regular basis.

Just two weeks ago, many families felt secure with their jobs, their finances, their retirements, their
health, but now there is an overwhelming, heavy feeling of uncertainty.

Just two weeks ago, things didn’t feel so out of control.

But guess what? It’s okay.

It’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to be mad. It’s oaky to cry or feel hurt that things you have worked for
seem to be swept right out from under you. It's okay to hate that feeling of being unsettled that has
so quickly come over us. It’s okay to feel rocked when you are going through a storm.

We can’t always control how things play out around us. But we can control how we react.

We want to remind you that God knows and cares about our broken hearts.

Psalm 56:8 “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your
book?”

God will respond to our needs. Relief is coming.

Psalm 34:18 “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Relief may not come the way we want it to, but God will heal our hearts. It’s His promise

Now is the time to turn to God. Don’t ignore the Bible, but take time to read and take God at His
word. Apply it so that He can mold us and break us. Slow us. Refocus us.

Let God be your foundation, so that when the world crumbles (which it does often), you still have
something to stand on.

Also take this time to serve others who are hurting. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our pain
and our loss, that we forget others are hurting too. When we are hurting, God can use that hurt and
the comfort He gives us to help others who are hurting.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies
and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those
who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Life can change in one moment. We can’t avoid heartache. We can’t avoid pain or conflict or loss.
We can only respond to it.
How are you going to respond?

While we are “socially distancing” and not physically meeting for church or Refuge for the
foreseeable future, we are willing to meet with you individually if you want to talk or just get out of
the house. We will also be posting videos on our Refuge Facebook page to point you to scripture
and encourage you. Please feel free to call us anytime.

God bless,

Pastor Gary and Rebecca