This was taken the morning of the 3rd of January, 2021 near El Paso, TX, USA
2020 was rough but I’m working really hard on focusing on positive things instead of the negative. For so long, I think many of us just wished to fast forward into 2021. You know- the New Year will change everything.
Only that’s not what is happening… The day after I arrived home- I find out my youngest has covid, my mom has covid, and soon we realize my sister has covid too and I’m working from home which makes it harder to do what I love to do: take care of others. My dad is getting preventative care because he’s in a very high risk category for COVID.
So 2021 hasn’t started off great. Then this week our family gets good news – our close friends tested negative which just made me want to shout for joy! Today, we find out my little grandson is negative for covid. So while we are praying for their cough/cold symptoms to go away and for full recovery for everyone….
Then the news comes across with protestors storming the capital building in Washington, DC and social media explodes with such hatred and fear. Friends blast their anger and others share their prayers all across the newsfeed.
Focus: Am I focusing on what’s behind me in or am I focused in on where God is leading me? I keep looking at these simple pics I took on my phone and the strongest word that comes to me is focus
But just last night and this afternoon during my lunch break, I realized that when we focus on something that isn’t from God then we are choosing to worship that something in an unhealthy way. This is what’s disturbing to me about the volatile emotions bursting across the news and media, in homes and conversations everywhere. Bottom line, is that if a political belief causes me to lose my humanity…. then I don’t want to be human. I want people to see God in me; to see God’s love and truth but they will not see that if I’m causing a ruckus everywhere I go shouting about how awful one side is compared to the other side. I really don’t think there will be politics in Heaven. Sheesh I hope there’s not! What happened today was big- just like what’s going on with my family is big to me… but with the political turmoil and the health of my family- I can choose where to focus.
Oh snap! Whoa did I really go deep with that- the pole in this shot symbolizes all the ways to distract us to our faith and prevent us from walking in peace intimately focused on God!
What does it look like to choose to focus? I think everyone has their own ways of focusing. For me; at least today I am choosing to focus on the Angels and Holy Spirit released and moving across our land, advocating in our government. I focus on seeing peace and believing in peace for our nation. For my family, I focus on seeing them fully recovered without any lasting side effects- again Angels and Holy Spirit are released and ministering to them…. advocating for them. I can choose to worry. I can choose fear for our nation, for my family…. I can also choose to follow the instructional manual that reminds me of where to focus:
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
I choose daily to focus on faith and peace and healing and wisdom. How do you choose to focus?
Kingdom Chats 
May we continue to keep our eyes on Jesus; to keep our focus on God.
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