Finding God in the Midst of the Madness!

Hello everyone! Wow! What a crazy time we are in! A lot has happened since I wrote my last blog post. Who would have thought that a virus named after a beer would cause so much havoc around the world?! This year for Lent I decided to give up all of my social media and Netflix, and I'm starting to think that maybe I don't want to be on social media at this time with all of this happening! Before I go on, I know there are many people who have this situation much worse than I do, and I am praying for them and counting my blessings! Like most of you, I am at home and social distancing myself. I go to college at Chadron State, and all of our classes were moved to online format. So with the help of a dear friend I moved all of my things out of my dorm room and moved back home. The transition has definitely been a little rough, but I am confident that it will get better as time goes on and as I adjust to my new normal.

I know that I'll be going back to Chadron, but honestly it was pretty hard to leave and not go back! It was just a lot of change in a short period of time. Our spring break was the week of March 6th and neither me or any of my friends considered the possibility of having to go online and move home, but within a week we were notified that it was happening and we all moved out. I know there's a lot of people right now who are under both mandatory or self quarantine, out of jobs, having trouble making ends meet, trying to homeschool their kids, college kids who may not have a place to go or a way to access their materials, or who actually have the virus! Like I said before, many people have it much worse than I do. All of the uncertainty has made people go into a panic!

I think that it's in times like these when people begin to question where God is and if he really does love us. However, it's in these times that people need God the most! While there is suffering, pain, stress, impatience, etc.in our lives, it always serves a purpose. I once heard a saying that said "If I never made you uncomfortable, you never would have moved." Even Jesus knew that he was going to suffer in some way, but he always knew that it had to happen for the greater good of you and I whom he loves more than we could ever know. It certainly didn't stop him from serving others, loving them, and spreading his teachings to all people.

When I started classes at Chadron State, I immediately became involved in the Newman House. I loved everything about it! I went there to study, have dinner and Bible study on Wednesday evenings, and I have met many new friends there including my best friend April, who shared her testimony on another blog of mine. (If you haven't checked out that post, please do because it's a good one!) However, since everything has been closed down to slow the spread of the virus and social distancing, the Newman House is not open. That also means that most churches are not holding public services until further notice. Without being present in our faith communities, it's even harder to go through tough times. However I do have some proposed solutions! Thank goodness we live in a time of technology, because with it we can maintain contact with those we love and care about! I know all of you college kids are probably sick and tired of Zoom, but when it comes to group discussions or Bible study it's amazing and I can testify because we have started doing Newman Bible study on Zoom! FaceTime or phone calls is another good way to keep in touch with your spiritual directors or friends. Facebook groups or group chats, if you don't have them I suggest starting them. Connecting with people virtually definitely doesn't replace face to face contact, but sometimes we just have to take things as they are. God is always near, so we are never truly alone. However, he blesses us with friends so we can lead each other closer to him, even in hard times!

Another important point that I want to make is that this time is a great time to spend some one on one time with God. The picture I included with this post is a picture that I took a long time before all of this happened, and I thought I should include it with this post because in this picture I was on a coffee date with Jesus. I set aside one Saturday morning to go to a local coffee shop to pray, reflect, and ask God for guidance in my life. Right now, our only option for some time with God is to fo it at home and that is just fine, actually even better! By doing so we can stop in the midst of the madness and seek to grow with God. I will admit that since I began social distancing, I have not done this as much as I should have but I have taken a little time to pray and ask for God's forgiveness. This week I was a part of a virtual Busy Person's Retreat through the Newman House. During the three short times that I met with my spiritual directors, I was challenged to reflect upon the day and see where God was. Even in normal everyday life I think that bis something we all fail to see. When we take time to be with God, especially when it's hard, He shows us all of the little moments that He was with us and all of the blessings we have to be thankful for! I encourage you to take just ten minutes to be with God in whatever way works best for you whether it be praying, reading scripture, journaling, or saying a rosary. You'd be surprised how much it can change your day!

"I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me." Philippians 4:13

I hope you all stay healthy and safe! I'll be praying for all those suffering from this! God Bless!