Surrounded By COVID, and….

I spent my summer writing a memoir of my COVID nursing in the Medical ICU.  I love the cover of my book, and I love the title.  You should read it.

Surrounded by COVID, Sustained by Grace!

And I was!  I was surrounded by COVID in the ICU!  And I continue to be, but now in a variety of different environments.  I also continue to be sustained by grace.

I’ve pondered and pondered COVID, because up until getting pretty busy with my new job as a hospice RN, I’ve had time!

And now, well – now I’m doing an Advent devotional study with three girlfriends, and we talk often about the anticipation of Christmas, the anticipation of celebrating the birth of our Savior.  Best gift ever.

And all of this pondering has caused me to ponder even more!

Jesus came to earth and chose to be surrounded by sin.  I spent months disgusted by COVID, but COVID is NOTHING compared to my sin…   our sin.

I did not choose to be surrounded by COVID.  But Jesus chose to be surrounded by my sin.  WOW!

Now I read what people write, and listen to what others say about their disgust over COVID, and I wish so much that they could see that our sin is so much worse than COVID, or influenza, or cancer, or any other tragedy.  And as they decorate their homes, light up their Christmas trees, prepare their children for the arrival of Santa, and wrap all of their gifts to put under the tree, I wish so much they could realize the best gift ever given was Jesus.

My sin is so much worse than COVID, but I’ve been reminded that though I continue to be surrounded by COVID, because of the gift of Jesus at Christmas, I am now forever hidden in Christ.

Surrounded by COVID, Sustained by Grace – but also hidden forever in Christ.  (And you can be too!)

Merry Christmas!

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”  Colossians 3:2-4