Be Encouraged

Whether it is the half-anniversary of when the pandemic shutdowns began in full in Lake Wales, the 19th anniversary of September 11th, or listening to the rhetoric with being less than two months from "the most important election in our lifetime," or all of these and much more, life may seem scary and unprecedented these days to some.

To the majority of others in the world (and even people in Lake Wales) daily life was extremely challenging before the pandemic, actually unchanged by events of 9/11, and impacted far more by "other" elections (see Belarus for one recent example).

If you have a spouse, or someone close to you whom you speak with frequently, consider taking a multi-day fast from any media or national news. Try to not check social media, watch TV, check sports scores, or even listen to the radio on your ride to work (if working back at an office). If something dramatic happens (like a Hurricane coming) or even rather trivial (like the Rays clinching a playoff spot, or Christian Ponder winning the Pulitzer) that person who communicates with you frequently will tell you.

To fill the void of not checking out the "news" of the day, consider praying more deeply for specific people on your heart and reading things that encourage your soul.

Here are some verses from Psalm 46 to start with; to really think about and really ponder the love, faithfulness, and protection of our great God. May God bless you, your family, and all people of the Lake Wales community this week.

Psalm 46:1-3, 10

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Christian Ponder has been a resident of Lake Wales since 2001. He enjoys living in Lake Wales with his wife and two children.