Tale as old as time, husband and wife were facing off. As we ran errands, making our way store to store, the wintery darkness caving in brought even more gloomy darkness to our day. I remember the headlights of the passing cars and the neon strip of stores as I do the feelings that day brought. Our vehement and rabid argument was only increasing in intensity. As I dropped off Bob to pick up his car, our final errand for the night, I breathed a sigh of relief. A moment of reprieve.

Making new friendships can be difficult at any time. However, it is more noticeable when entering into a new environment. Even though I am by nature an introvert, my personality also craves authentic and meaningful one-on-one friendships. The secondary bodes well when entering into a new environment because it forces me into seeking authentic relationships—quality over quantity. Whether or not you have moved, the need for community is the same. This article, along with many others, points out that when in the height of our isolation in June and July, suicide rates were significantly higher than the previous year. Connection with others is vital to our health and well-being.

When I read through Scripture, I find it easy to slip from reading the words on the page to running through my own task list of to-dos for the day. Because of my struggle, I have found enormous value in being a part of formal bible study groups. Some churches call them community groups, life groups, or small groups, but the idea is the same. Work through a piece of Scripture together to grow deeper in your faith. I needed this for a solid 5 years. Maybe longer. I needed to know I wasn’t alone. I needed to know I was loved and seen by others. I needed to have a level of accountability to study God’s word because I truly wanted to be more like Him.

The last six months have been hard.

No matter who you are or where you live, I do not doubt that you have experienced hardship over the previous months in the United States, perhaps longer elsewhere. Maybe you have lost a job or experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic. It’s possible you were laid off, or your spouse was let go because the business simply declined. You turned to see who could come to your rescue, but no one could help you because they simply didn’t know what they were doing either. They couldn’t help you because they couldn’t help themselves. April Ludgate says it best in the classic show Parks & Recreation. This about sums it up folks.

All of us, admittedly, can give reason after reason as to why 2020 has been difficult. We entered grandly into the new decade, full of hopes and dreams. In the full throws of August, many of us are looking up only to find the pause button still pressed. The things we believed should have been haven't been. The fresh hope and starry wonder January 1st held have dimly faded into a distant memory. Many of us are just now looking up from beyond our masks to discern where to go from here.

Are you an email deleter or an email archiver? Me, I’m an email archiver. Well, until recently. You see, in the last year, we have switched from Android and Google operating systems to Apple. I know I could carry over my habits from my former life into the Apple world, but I’m also one who tries to immerse myself into the new experience, whatever said experience is. So, in my rounds of importing, adapting, and navigating what is seemingly a different language, I have found myself staring at my inbox.