The CoVid-19 pandemic is affecting everyone in some way or another. I was asked to participate in a pandemic word challenge. The point was to pick one word to help me through the pandemic and then share it.
You can pick a different word to help you or use mine.
By intentionally choosing a word for ourselves we create a focal point. This directs us away from the destructive negativity that seeks to suck us into the emotional and mental abyss of chaos and fear.
When we share our word with others we encourage and inspire them.
Having a pandemic word can become a powerful tool. Click To Tweet
CHOOSING MY WORD
I didn’t flippantly choose my word. Instead, I saw the value of having a pandemic word and how it could become a powerful tool. Being a person of faith the first thing I did was pray. Then I got quiet to listen.
At first, I thought my word would be trust because I’m trusting God through this stressful time. But then I saw more. I started to see how I’ve been dealing with this pandemic already.
I saw beyond just myself and how I was dealing with my life. I saw how I’d already been prompted to help others. This made my word choice clear.
This pandemic has created an enormous amount of fear and grief. I’ve been compelled to help others mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to not only survive this crisis but also be able to thrive on the other side.
This took place before I chose my word. In essence, my word had already been activated.
My word is encouragement.
WHAT ENCOURAGEMENT IS
Encouragement is much more than saying nice words to make others smile. The root of the word is courage.
Encouragement is the act of encouraging.
When you encourage someone you put courage in them. You put courage in the place where fear is lurking and taunting them.
Fear is destructive.
Encouragement empowers a person to overcome fear.
Our world needs courage in the face of all the fear flying around.
WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING
I encourage myself all the time and love to encourage others. I have put courage in my heart with Psalm 91 daily for quite a while.
A portion of it reads:
For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
Those words encourage me in my faith to trust God to protect me, as well as pray for others.
On Tuesday, March tenth the virus was discovered in my home state. The following day it was declared a pandemic.
Early Thursday morning I had a vision about this whole pandemic thing. I was compelled to share.
I’d never made myself that vulnerable in a video before.
I did a Facebook live and shared how the vision I had was involving the panic and fear that was so prevalent and how it was even more dangerous than the virus itself. The vision involved a visual of Pac Man in two different ways.
I felt silly, but the desire to encourage was stronger.
The video wasn’t enough. I started creating short audio recordings for people of faith for them to encourage themselves with words from the Bible. The first one was about God’s protection.
The following Monday I did another Facebook live to encourage. I told my listeners about the importance of our response to this pandemic and how we have a choice. I encouraged the strong to help the weak.
Four days later I was encouraging on Facebook Live again about how it’s up to us how we emerge on the other side of this pandemic. Once again pointing to our choice and offering things to help.
I’d not done videos like this before and started turning them into Facebook ads to spread the encouragement further. I’m compelled to reach as many as I can with the message of hope and love.
I started calling myself “that lady on the internet who loves you”.
AND THEN I STARTED to SIP
SIP is Shelter in Place. It started two weeks after the virus invaded my state and I plunged into more aggressive encouragement.
On the first day, I began making daily SHELTER in Place videos and counting the day memes. A few days in I set up a YouTube channel and I’ve made more audio recordings.
I am continually looking for ways to encourage others.
Encouragement is important all the time but even more so in these trying times. Click To Tweet
EVERY DAY
Encouragement is important all the time but even more so in these trying times. Fear looms in the news.
My state has the third most cases in my country. At first, the endangered were by poor health. Then they added age. Now they don’t know because the virus has caused confusing results. And then there are all the voices crying this is just overhyped, while I hear and see stories of people on the front lines begging others to take it seriously.
Recently our state extended the lockdown and made it more severe. This is concerning in various ways. What about our rights? What about those who live alone? What about…?
Every day things change.
EnCourageMent is my word because our world needs courage. ❤️💪
WHAT NEXT
- Will you choose a word for yourself or do you like mine? Let me know in the comments.
Take the encouragement that serves you.
- Encouraging videos — Facebook and YouTube
- Encouraging audios — faith and love
- Encouraging reading — books and articles
- Encouraging you to take care of yourself
You Matter!
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Well said Danielle!
Thank you, Michael.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Just read this. PRAISE GOD! I NEEDED this so much right now. Thank you JESUS for putting Danielle in my life🙏
So good to hear it spoke to you.
God Bless you Pauline!