Of course, I am only human, and while there are many times where I am glad to hand over the reins to God, sometimes fear and anxiety creep their way back in.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us more than 50 years ago, “a riot is the language of the unheard.”

As our communities begin to think about the gradual reopening of other businesses, parks, and services, it is important that church leaders also carefully consider what your congregation will do as these restrictions are lifted.

The fight, flight, or freeze reflex may kick in when people of conscience see or hear about the latest incident of Black death.

Abraham Kuiper warned that “if social developments continue to follow the present course, life on earth will become less and less a heaven and more and more a hell.”

When contagion emptied the cathedral, people painted Mary and Jesus huddled in alcoves and on the walls of streets hardly more than alleys. Prayer continued there.

Psalm 109:6 essentially reads, “Condemn my enemies, and may all the devils of hell welcome them with open arms.”

Is it possible for two people who hold different views on an issue to sit beside each other in church and be in unity? 

My husband and I moved to the U.S. 16 years ago.

I have come to realize that Christians are unwittingly selective, and the outcome is a lopsided Christianity.

When we share our trauma, we connect with people on a deeper level.

Many courageous soldiers of the Canadian army lay their lives down so that the Dutch could be free again.

Besides being in a constantly highly reactive and responsive mode as governmental directives change by the hour, we are also in constant triage mode.

I now realize the mettle and grit of people like my immigrant parents stemmed organically from their understanding of the nature of life. They knew that suffering isn't an occasional visitor but our home.

Covid-19 has put public health into practical terms for us today. People everywhere are being asked to think of their communities above themselves and stay home and limit contact with others.

What are we to do when our regular structures of corporate worship have been upended and public gatherings are prohibited?

From time to time I will write my own psalms as prayers or reflective praises to God.

Breathless, Lily pauses and then warmly says, “Mary!” just as Jesus would have.

This Easter, there will be none of that. No large family gatherings around brightly decorated shared tables, no community egg hunts for excited young children, no overflowing churches filled with praise.

In this time of social isolation, of staying home and canceling gatherings, church has become the one dependable regular event in our family’s schedule.

Here are some things I’ve noticed since COVID-19 was labeled a pandemic.