“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”   John 14:27

Well, let’s face it, this past year has been interesting. Living through a pandemic has changed our lives so much. One main change is the extra stress added to our lives. Stress affects everyone differently. I could feel it building while I read the letter asking me to write one of the 40 devotionals for this year. Was I afraid? Yes, I believe I was, however my faith helped me believe I could do it. 

The first time I felt added stress during this pandemic was during a trip to the grocery store. This trip to the store was right after people began wearing masks. I remember my heart racing while I was shopping. Just seeing shoppers wearing masks was enough to cause me stress. I never realized that I needed to see a face. This is also when shelves were bare and there was no toilet paper to be found anywhere. Even though I had heard stories on the news it was still quite the shock to experience it in person. I remember that I was so happy to leave the store and go back home. It seemed so hard to believe that within a few weeks our lives changed so drastically. 

I am grateful that I had God to turn to during these times. This road has been long. Longer than I ever thought it would be. The strength provided through prayer helped me through these tough times as I believe it will in my future also.   

Prayer: Lord, God, thank You for providing peace to those in need. Amen.