NL Moore & Associates search associate, Jill Tullis, began 2020 like a lot of us – with plans of fun and exciting adventures. Covid-19 changed all of that. Her story here:
For our family, this year began with high hopes and expectations about what was to come. My husband, who is a pastor, was given a ministry sabbatical so we planned several family trips, including our three daughters’ first time visiting the “happiest place on earth” – Disney World! Also, my entire side of the family (my parents, 13 siblings including spouses and seven grandchildren) was set to gather in our favorite vacation spot to celebrate my parents’ 60th birthdays. Our oldest daughter was thriving and learning from her wonderful second-grade teacher, and we looked forward to our middle daughter finishing her last year of preschool. This year was supposed to be a year of fun and renewal after a tough 2019.
Yet here we are, four months in, and everything has changed. Plans are canceled, routines are out of rhythm, expectations are lowered, and the future seems uncertain.
And guess what? My situation is not unique. I’m sure most of us are dealing with stress, disappointment and questions about what the future holds.
Not one of us is immune to the complete halt our world has seemingly come to. In this season, the verse God keeps bringing to my mind is Psalm 127:1. The Psalmist writes, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” These words have been interpreted to mean different things to different people, but here’s my personal take: unless I have chosen to build the foundation of my house (my life, family and future) on God’s promises and truth, the hard seasons of life WILL crush me. The dashed hopes and dreams of what I thought was going to happen could lead me to sadness and despair. But I choose to keep my hope in the Lord.
In this season of life, how do we as God’s people continue to choose to trust that He is on the throne and in control? I say “choice” because sometimes it is truly a day-to-day decision we have to make. What happens when one day your job is gone? When your spouse is diagnosed with a medical condition that might not heal? When suddenly you’re isolated from the outside world and inundated with news about how many lives are being lost every day?
Today, I’m leaning into the words of Proverbs 3:5-6 to help me make that choice.
“5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.”
Daily, let’s make this choice to quiet our hearts, tune out the noise of fear, anxiety and frustration around us and build our house on the foundation of a God who loves us and leads us. Today, I choose to trust Him, my foundation and salvation.