7 Guidelines from The Cold War to The Corona War

COVID-19 transports Larry and me back to the Communist era of our lives with its demanding, ongoing crises. We stood in line to buy toilet paper, we navigated life with rationed food items, and we consistently walked into stores with empty shelves. Daily, we listened to briefings on BBC radio for uncensored news.

Did I learn anything from residing behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War that now provides direction in the Corona War? Yes, indeed! God willing, these guidelines will encourage you and those dear to you during this tumultuous time.

7 Guidelines from The Cold War to The Corona War

Guideline #1: Routine Recognize the value of routine. In the years we lived covertly in the enemy’s land, Larry and I strove to create a routine for our family and for ourselves. Mealtime, playtime, story time, and bedtime provided a helpful structure to our otherwise high-intensity lives.

Likewise, in navigating today’s turbulent waters, he and I function in a simple routine that yields peace and productivity. Though we work toward our global AIA mission at our own desks, we meet at the coffee pot, share meals, compare news updates, and pray.

My recommendation—allow routine to play a role in establishing your equilibrium.

Guideline #2: Read Read the Bible, and read excellent books. In our Warsaw, Poland home, with minimal television, reading provided a nourishing source of relaxation.

By contrast, our current crisis lures us to increased interaction on devices. So, I remind myself—and you—reading books is an investment that promises healthy dividends on the other side of this pandemic.

Ask yourself, “Is this the time to read Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas?” “Would I like to reread a treasured classic, perhaps Little Women?” “Should I sign up for an Audible.com account?” A positive answer to any one of these questions can season the present situation with personal enrichment.

Guideline #3: Rest Focus on rest, both spiritual and physical. Warfare requires rest, whether standing against the Communists or fighting the Corona battle. Consider the verses below, and make every effort to be a soldier fit for battle.

Spiritual rest: “My soul finds rest in God alone” (Psalm 62:1). Physical rest: “You will lie down and not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24 NKJV).

Guideline #4: Resist Resist fear. Stand guard against fear’s poisoning influence, and refuse to let it circle your wagons. During the 70s and 80s, we lived with ongoing surveillance of us in our home and in our activities. Fear threatened to rob us of the quality of life God intended, thereby rendering us ineffective in our mission.

Standing our spiritual ground then trained us for standing our spiritual ground now. God’s joy for His children is not dependent on circumstances, and our enemy cannot shove out His presence. “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3-4).

Guideline #5: Realize Realize this intense challenge will not last forever, so look ahead and design a break. In the face of a threatening miscarriage—with medical services marginalized—Larry and I pulled out the brochures and planned a summer vacation. This exercise created a much-needed mental break within the dark days of a fragile pregnancy.

So, in the cauldron of today’s confusion, look ahead and consider, “What adventure awaits me on the other side of this?” “Is there a friend to visit, a destination to explore, a getaway weekend to plan?” Such an activity opens a door of hope for the future.

Guideline #6: Recall Recall simple pleasures. Polish parks offered fresh air and scenic walks. On a weekly basis, our young family joined the national pastime and stepped into the cultural stream to stroll the paths.

Reflecting on the benefits of days gone by, Larry and I now purposely lace up our walking shoes and hit the outdoor trails near our home. The fresh air outing does not disappoint!

Are there other simple pleasures to recall? Yes; placing fresh flowers in a vase, playing a board game, putting together a puzzle, or lighting a candle, to name a few.

What about you? What comes to your mind when you think about introducing light pleasure into these complex days?

Guideline #7: Remember Remember—God reigns. Living With Eternal Intentionality® affects my life perspective; I believe that my days are numbered (Psalm 139:16b). When God decides to call me Home, nothing will keep me here. Likewise, nothing will take me sooner than He plans. Just like during the Cold War, knowing of His presence and His plan in the Corona War frees me to accept my circumstances and rest in His divine care. “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). “Underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27b).

Now, I pray a blessing for you, as together, we seek His guidelines for this unprecedented time: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

Which of the 7 guidelines above most resonates with you?

What verse of Scripture or attribute of God’s character is guiding you along the rocky path of today?

Climbing Above the Crisis

Playing high in the tree house with my grand-darlings made the coronavirus feel distant and diminished. Swinging comfortably in the hammock, listening to the rain fall softly on the tin roof, and planning wistfully for an outdoor sleepover bolstered my Gammy-heart above the crisis, chaos, and confusion of our altered lives.

Ahhh, if only …

Alas, one cannot live in a tree house forever, and I eventually needed to return to our worried world. At dusk, I gingerly climbed backwards, down the narrow ladder to our coronavirus earth and the absorbing challenges we face.

However, God has provided for you and me, His beloved children, a far more secure refuge than even my tree house hideaway. Rather than leaving us nervous, scared, and confused, He invites us into an eternally secure shelter in the strong and sturdy branches of His glorious Word.

Come—climb the ladder with me and rest in the soothing, sanitized certainty that only He can guarantee. Climbing Above the Crisis, we read:

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4 NIV).

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2 NIV).

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV).

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17,18 NIV).

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NASB).

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NASB).

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).

So going forward,

“May we continue to prioritize our intimacy with Jesus. May the Word be our source of perspective, and communication with the Father our source of comfort and strength.” Steve Sellers, Cru National Director

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

Which of these verses means the most to you in the face of our current global crisis?

How has God met you recently and offered you the supernatural comfort which only He can give?

Please join the conversation by adding your comments.

- artwork by Blake Thompson

Vain Imagination Theology

… while waiting on lab results

Even before we reached our car outside, my mind was in overdrive. The message from our dermatologist traumatized me.

After he performed a biopsy on a suspicious spot on my back, I asked my doctor, “So what are the steps here?” His answer describing steps 1, 2, 3—and even step 4—evaporated into thin air.

I only heard Step 5: “At that point you will be referred to a surgeon, because we will need to remove a lymph node.”

Great. Suddenly, right there in my generic hospital gown, standing barefoot on the linoleum floor, my life flashed before me; my end felt fixed.

Scurrying to the privacy of our vehicle, from over my shoulder Larry stepped in with this strong advice:

“Don’t go to the dark side. Debby, you do not need to go to Vain Imagination Theology.”*

Easy for him to say. How did he know where my thoughts were going? How did he know my mind was already working on a doctorate degree in Vain Imagination Theology? How? How? How?!

I said, “Well, this would certainly change our schedule, and would be extremely inconvenient.”

To which he countered, “That is how everyone feels when this happens to them.”

There it was. No special privileges, no exceptions, no shortcuts, no missionary exemptions. Would my life in this fallen world now coalesce with dermatology and a biopsy to yield a frightening outcome? Only God knew. And while I waited, would I give in to Vain Imagination Theology riddled with menacing what if’s?

As we drove away, somehow, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I resurrected verses pertinent to the situation, and attempted to place my negative thoughts and emotions into the Hand of God. With every fiber of my being, I sought to follow the ancient path of His promises, but I felt shaky.

“My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” (no matter what your future holds) Exodus 33:14

“My soul finds rest in God alone.” (not in the state of my health) Psalm 62:1

“Wait upon the Lord.” (not lab results) Psalm 27:14a

“Lean not to your own understanding.” (in how and why this came to pass) Proverbs 3:5

Once home from the appointment, in the privacy of my bedroom, I poured out my frightened heart in prayer: God, please be God of my thoughts; please be God of my waiting; please be God of a healthy lab report.

In the ensuing hours, I danced with two partners, first one and then the other, as Trust and Worry both took their turn with me on the dance floor of my mind. Blissfully, I glided across the floor with Trust, only to have Worry tap Trust on the shoulder and demand to cut in.

The next morning, Friday, I prayed, “Lord, please have mercy and defy the doctor’s predicted timeline. Please reveal a benign report. And please have it come today, thus blessing our weekend with an awareness of good health.”

Back and forth, back and forth, my mental dance continued. Throughout the day I thought about my dermatologist and about my biopsy, but, thankfully, our workload offered a merciful distraction.

Late in the afternoon, my husband ran into a small café to get a coffee, and I remained in the car. I needed a breather, a moment of solitude and silent prayer. Daylight was fading, and I felt the darkness bringing on a new surge of menacing thoughts. Then …

What? Was that my phone alert? How did I not hear the ring? Oh! There is a voice message. Oh, dear. Who called?

With heart racing and fingers trembling, I sought the audible recording. And there it was, the undeniable voice of a medical messenger on the other end of the line. “Hello, Mrs. Thompson,” static, static, static … The same invisible barrier which prevented my hearing the ring was now fully asserting its strength to prevent my hearing the message!

… Dr …’s office calling (break up … static, static, static). You have a blue n…. (more broken phrases and partial words). By this time—with pulse racing and palms sweating—I fairly jumped out of my skin. Where was this headed?! Crackle, sputter …

Then with crystal clear clarity: “NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.”

I doubled over with weakness, and engaged in worship. “God be praised! God be praised! Thank You, Sweet Jesus!

As I shared the sketchy conversation with Larry, my heart overflowed with gratitude. God answered both of my heart cries: “Lord, please have mercy and defy the doctor’s predicted timeline. Please reveal a benign report. And please have it come today, Friday, thus blessing our weekend with an awareness of good health.”

For this one time, God said, “Benign.” I know there will be other times for me and for those I love, but this time—on a Friday afternoon over a scratchy voice message delivered through a doctor’s nurse—God said, “Benign.” Vain Imagination Theology was not awarded a degree.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“My soul finds rest in God alone. My salvation comes from Him” (Psalm 62:1).

What is your most recent experience with Vain Imagination Theology?

When Trust and Worry fight to dance with you, how do you strategically choose your partner?

*Vain Imagination Theology is a term the Holy Spirit entrusted to my husband, Larry. Until that moment, I had never heard him use it.