2020 was [fill in the blank].
For us, it was unexpected, challenging, draining, heavy, ...uncomfortable to say the least.
COVID-19 affected our nation, our states, and cities. By mid-March, we were forced to abandon our workplaces and bunker down at home. Initially, quarantine meant safety from the virus, a break from the stress of our physical workplaces, and more time to focus on family. A moment to reset. The world felt like it stopped, but the responsibilities didn’t.
For the first time, work, school, gym, and family all shared the same address. Timelines still had to be met and seemed to conflict with our family responsibilities. The lines were blurred and we could not evade the stress of competing priorities. Phone conversations that were once filled with outbursts of fleeting thoughts and a recap of our day turned into “Girl, pray for me,” or “I just need to vent” ending with prayer. Our new normal became choosing work deadlines over diaper deadlines, assignment due dates over mommy-son game nights, and Netflix became an elusive form of rest only to find ourselves exhausted the next morning.
What we thought would be more available time was the realization that the lack of time was not the issue, we were.
The stretching we were both experiencing exposed our over-reliance on ourselves. Realizing we’d be in this for the long haul, the only way through would be to stop, and be still. What we needed was to trust the One who knows the end from the beginning. We had to sit and sift through our stank truths and decide to change or stay the funky same.
Mid-year, we pivoted and weekly 6 AM prayer calls became our new normal. Knowing that we could go to God to supply us with everything we needed for the day lifted heavy burdens. The idea of co-writing a blog was in limbo for years. We decided to stop talking about it and finally began laying down the bricks for Refined Sisterhood. Adding another time-consuming project on our already full plates seemed nonsensical. We still had busy work and class schedules; there was still a need for healthy home-cooked meals and time spent with family. What it did change was our heart posture. It became clearer than ever that getting our hearts and minds in proper alignment with God is a daily necessity. It’s not optional. While we may still (unwisely) treat it as such, the crushing pressure is a sobering reminder to stop, be still, and rely on God.
In hindsight, 2020 was also… necessary, refining, maturing,
...a blessing we'd never think to pray for.
What was 2020 for you? Let us know in the comments.
““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
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