Dear Family and Friends,

We returned home this past week to be with our other two children.

Our son David and daughter in law Amy renewed their wedding vows yesterday, their first year anniversary. It was a beautiful gathering as two families and close friends came together to celebrate and encourage the loving pair. 

Needless to say, getting ready for the occasion and welcoming our new granddaughter has made life busier than it’s been in over a year.

Apparently, we are not alone in this busy-ness called life. We got stuck in traffic heading to LAX at 6 in the morning. The plane was packed full, as was baggage claim.

At Kahala Mall, we noticed the tables and chairs are not only back out but they were all taken – just like before. Even the soccer park on Kalanianaole Highway was filled with teams practicing. Life as it was is almost back. Is it almost back for you too? 

I’m going to guess that most of us, given the yearlong restrictions on life, had more ‘quiet time’ this past year than we’ve had in a very long time. I’m going to further guess that you spent more ‘quiet time’ this past year with God than you ever had before.

Do any of these resonate with you?

Praying for health and safety. Reading the Bible. Watching sermons on YouTube. Praising Jesus when things went well. And when things didn’t go well, asking questions that start with: God, why…? Perhaps you even refreshed your understanding of the signs of the End Times. 

As life as it once was begins to reappear, many of us will be drawn back to our former lives, old habits, familiar activities. Do you feel like you “can’t wait” to do the things that weren’t possible this past year? Dining out, gathering with friends, perhaps even traveling. 

As we begin to emerge from our bubbles, may I suggest that we first stop to reflect on the great things the Lord has done for us and in us this past year. As the saying goes, count our blessings.

Despite what you may think or feel, if you search hard enough you will find many, and that you are closer to our Lord than ever before.

Then after doing so, carefully consider where to find the time to fit all these former now new activities back into your schedules.

What I’m trying to say is this: let’s not give up our quiet time with the Lord. The enemy would love to see us revert to our old ways, to have us make our invisible God once again invisible in our lives. 

Paul has these words of wisdom for us today, “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.”  Colossians 3:1-2 

Our time with Him is so precious. God did good works in each and every one of us this past year, and He promises to do more.

The gains we made and the promises of even greater joy and peace are too valuable to cast aside.

Now is the perfect time to restructure our priorities in life.

With grateful hearts, let’s not fall backwards but instead fall in greater love with God. 

In love always,