Are you fatigued? I am! What do we do now?

(I was going to make this into a video for you all, but today is not the day - it would have been SO long! I promise the whole article isn't a downer, but let's go into the pit and acknowledge it for what it is, then turn our face to the source of our hope!) 

Crisis fatigue, combat fatigue, compassion fatigue, ________ fatigue, etc... Whatever name you want to put on it, it is a very real thing and MANY of us are sitting in this space. I want to tell you this:

WHERE YOU ARE IS REAL, AND YOU NEED TO PAY [SOME] ATTENTION TO IT! 

Fatigue: weariness from bodily or mental exertion.

Anyone else in this space? 

14 weeks ago we were introduced, quite violently (definition: intense in force) to what I "lovingly" referred to as The Rona. Life as we knew it ceased. We were working from home - if we still had a job; we couldn't leave home. Our churches were closed, and folks bought ALL the toilet paper! We had an "unseen enemy" that seemed like it wanted to kill us. The fear factor of all of this has been real! 

As the weeks moved on, most of us settled into the new normal with all of its challenges, and just as we could see the edge of the forest... we were plunged into the unrest of racial discrimination and the protests that have come with it (a situation that needs to be seen, acknowledged and CHANGED). 

IF THESE THINGS WEREN'T ENOUGH...

We still have life things happening...

Sons and daughters are still deployed to hazardous regions, there is still domestic violence and child abuse, families who were living paycheck to paycheck have found themselves with NO paycheck, people are dying alone because senior care facilities won't let their loved ones in, newborns can't be held by their grandparents.... the list goes on and on and on...

It's a lot... I know... 

I'm a realist.  I firmly believe that looking at things for what they truly are (with NO sugar-coating) has great benefit for us. If we are looking into reality we can come to grips with what we see, AND THEN GIVE THE WHOLE OF IT TO THE FATHER!

1Peter 5:7 "Cast ALL your cares on Him, for He cares for you." (emphasis mine)

When you are connected to the military (even as a spouse or child), you are taught to take things as they come and keep going. 

TRANSLATION: Don't pay attention to how this is impacting you - buck up and carry on!  No time for tears or emotions. (seems healthy, right.... um... NO!!!)

Because this has been the way I've done things FOR SO LONG, I often don't realize I'm even carrying things until I'm so weighed down I can barely walk! I don't realize the impact on my heart until I'm fatigued. (I'm working on this - I promise.)

A friend reminded me recently to take a second and brush off the things I've picked up on this "Rona" journey we've all been on. Then I got clearer focus on the fact that I was carrying some stuff when I walked past the moose enclosure at the zoo and started crying - our moose passed away a couple of weeks ago. It was confirmed - beyond a shadow of a doubt - that I was carrying too much when I start crying while telling a story to my friend.

The Rona has had a deep impact on my family! Major milestones have been forfeited to her, and it has hurt. I'm pastoring folks through significant life events that are amplified by her. This has been a challenging 3.5 months - it feels like we have live a lifetime in this space. 

All of the things we have picked up along the way need to be laid at Jesus' feet (and left there), and most of us have (most likely) picked up all kinds of things over the last few weeks (months). Part of the process for me to lay things down is writing this; another part of the process will be spending some intentional, directed time with the Lord about it all; additionally - another part will be using a different part of my brain, the creative part, for a time, in order to decompress. 

What do you do to lay down what you have picked up? (seriously, I'd love you to tell me)

By now you will know that I love to hand to you practical things you can do to move in spaces, and now is no different.  Here you go: 

In a study out of THE (cracks me up EVERY TIME I hear a football player emphasize the word "the" when describing this university) Ohio State University (by Arianna Galligher, LISW) on "How To Cope With 'Crisis Fatigue" we are given these suggestions (I've added my thoughts to each - surprise! 😁 ) : 

1) Be intentional about how you are spending your energy

         - Especially now - you need to pay attention to how you are using your energy and who you are spending it on. If you have to be around someone who "sucks the life out of you" make sure you are balancing that with people who "fill your tank". If you have to complete tasks that drain you, make sure you are balancing that with tasks that don't! 

2) Choose your battles (and how you will go about fighting them)

         - YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FIGHT EVERY BATTLE THAT COMES YOUR WAY. If you make it a practice to do this, you won't have the energy needed to fight the important ones. 

3) Focus on things that bring joy and hope too

         - This is where I want to encourage your walk with the Lord. What are you doing in this season to draw into the ONE who loves you far more than ANYONE ELSE ever will? (please let me know) You need to be spending time with Him EVERY SINGLE DAY. He is our hope, our deliverer, our strength, our comforter, our friend that sticks closer than a brother. 

4) Take time for self-care 

         - I've told you before that this is not selfish - It's NOT.  It's actually an act of love to those around you! Make time for those things that bring you life. For me it is gardening, painting, reading, hiking, seeing new things. 

5) Access support

         - I have learned in this season the importance of having a tribe (your tribe needs to be no more than about 4 people - we just don't have the ability to walk in close relationship with lots and lots of people). Get about building your tribe, if you don't already have one. THEN give them permission to speak TRUTH into your life, and have the humility to listen to what they have to say. 

         - If what you are carrying runs deep and is over-whelming... Call you pastor, your church, your counselor... AND IF NECESSARY SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. Don't make a permanent choice for a temporary problem. Please! I implore you! 

Friends, yes, where we are can look really bleak when we face it head on, but this space in time is NOT the entire picture.

God is still on the throne.

Psalm 47:8 "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne."

God is perfecting our faith.

Hebrews 12:2 "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."

God will never leave us or forsake us.

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."


Dear Ones, He is still God.

He still loves us and calls us and protects us and delivers us and heals us... He still answers our prayers. 

Things may not look like we want them to look (that is true), but we MUST put our faith, trust and confidence in the ONE who has ALL of the puzzle pieces. We look through a glass dimly; He looks on with perfect clarity. He KNOWS what He is doing, and we can (if we choose to) rest in that knowledge. 

Let me also challenge you with this...

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (emphasis mine)

We'll will see the other side of all of this, and whatever that looks like God is there (the same as He is here).

Much love and a ((((((((BIGHUG))))))) to you all.