grow hope and stamp out fear
There are so many things coming at us this week through electronic media. After all, it is our primary way to communicate right now. It’s an all out battle for your attention to either draw you into fear and be overcome with it or to run toward hope. Hope for our world. Hope that the word neighbor actually means acting like a neighbor - giving to those in need and being kind even when you need more. Hope that those you know stay safe. Hope for those that are hurting.
As a business owner, I seriously considered my role in overloading your precious mental space with more electronic info and another article to suck you into the battle of fear and hope. It pulls you away from the time you need to dedicate to those you love and to helping them get through the crisis in front of you.
We are a small business and our whole business model is built on being one on one with people in their homes helping them rescue their stories. Out of caution and care, we can’t do that right now. We have no income for the foreseeable future. Am I panicking? No. My God is bigger than that. And that’s what I want our business, Red Dirt Recollective, to be for you. A place where you find hope in God and the ability to focus on your family and what they need.
And that is why rather than sharing a fun story this week, I’d like to share with you something that made a huge difference in our life when we lost our jobs three years ago. We found really practical steps for hope from a Christian guy and his team who value helping people follow their passion and experience financial freedom.
I offer this to give you hope. You can read it here: You Don't Need To Live In Fear
Endorsing Dave Ramsey comes with a word of caution. He is loved and he is hated, but honestly, I love that he is a no nonsense straight shooter who is passionate about what he does and is making a difference in the world. And that’s why I wanted to share his relevant practical advice about money and the coronavirus. I encourage you to read the article the whole way through and consider what part of it might help you through a time of uncertainty. It was through his own personal failure, fear, and discipline that he came to value providing financial hope.
Values are an important part of who we are and what shapes our family legacy. The things that are important to us often become the things that are important to our children.
Our ability to discipline ourselves even when it is hard can change our family. Right now, it is the discipline of physical separation. But if our values reflect who we are and our actions are the output of those values, then we should be seeking to act in love just as we find in Romans.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12: 9 - 12 NIV
Let’s think about what we value and how our actions show it. Our values impact our family everyday especially right now as they see who we truly are when times get tough. Just like I hope that I have done through sharing Dave Ramsey’s article, I encourage you to share things that grow hope and stamp out fear. Not just right now, but always.
Searching for wisdom and asking for grace,
Jody