covid-19, diy hand sanitizer and getting god's heart

Joe was supposed to leave for France this Thursday to help strategize for a church plant we are doing there.  Last night we decided he better not go, given the outbreak of the corona virus there, and the fact that he is in the at-risk category.  I know everyone has an opinion on this pandemic and none of us really know who to trust, but that’s definitely NOT THE POINT OF THIS BLOG.

Before we had decided, I was working on getting him hand sanitizer, but of course, it is sold out everywhere, including Amazon!  That’s when I went online and learned how to make my own.  I found one with ingredients I had around my house, and I love it so much I’m going to share the link below.  Speaking of that, when you see the ingredients you might wonder why I just happened to have a Costco sized bottle of vodka. Seriously, not a drop of the stuff has ever passed the lips of this good old Baptist girl.  (Well, there was that time someone in our church served vodka slushes at a party in their home and Joe unwittingly drank a couple of them, talking all the way home about how delicious and unique they were, but that’s another story altogether.)  That is also NOT THE POINT OF THIS BLOG.
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Sorry for the whiplash here as I move from vodka slushes to my Sunday morning prayer time.

​Sorry for the whiplash here as I move from vodka slushes to my Sunday morning prayer time.  I was praying about Joe’s trip, and I began to feel God speaking about the whole corona virus scenario.  In short, I felt him say that this could be the greatest opportunity we as a church have had in the past century to shine the light of his glory in a world where panic may become the norm.  And then I sensed him saying that it could be the precursor to the revival we have longed for, cried out for, pined for, petitioned for and pleaded for over the past two decades.  I am not a prophet and am not even suggesting that this a prophetic word, but these are the things my heart was sensing and I feel compelled to share them.​
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...this could be the greatest opportunity we as a church have had in the past century to shine the light of his glory in a world where panic may become the norm.

​You may notice that I used the word “could” in both cases and there is a reason for that.  There are things we can and must do as followers of Christ and while God is always ready to pour out his Spirit in fresh ways, he often waits until we are ready.  To that end, here are a few thoughts about what to do in the face of this global pandemic:
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• Emanate peace instead of panic.  Peace is our birthright, uniquely ours as brothers and sisters of the Prince of Peace.  Right now, the world needs for us to carry this supernatural peace into every conversation.  
• Embody faith instead of fear: I believe in the coming days we will have many opportunities to share why we live with hope, instead of getting caught up in the endless speculations and fear-driven predilections.  Let’s be ready!
• Practice prayer instead of pontificating:  None of us know the future, but we know who holds it in HIS hands and this is the time to pray, rather than ramble on about our opinions ad nauseum.  Pray for leaders, health-care workers, patients, communities, government officials and anyone else who needs the wisdom of God during this unprecedented time.

So much more could be said, but I’ll leave it there.  Before I share the link for hand sanitizer, let me say I have no tie to this website—I just liked the recipe. Do your own google search but I’ll forewarn you that most recipes involve rubbing alcohol, which is now also almost impossible to get.  Click here for the link. And if you have the Costco vodka hanging around too, now’s the time to use it!