Hold Steady and Reach Out

"Don't panic. I'm with you.
There's no need to fear for I'm your God.
I'll give you strength. I'll help you.
I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."
                               --Isaiah 41:9-10, The Message

Like me, I'm sure you watched in horror as a violent mob breached the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., yesterday. Like me, I'm sure that you are struggling to process what happened and what it means and what the next weeks will bring.

Go easy on yourself and whatever reaction you are having. When you are tempted to close down, reach out instead. Silver Lake friends are great for this. They will connect you to your larger community and remind you to love: Love God, Love Yourself, Love Your Neighbor, and Love Creation. And then turn off the screens and go outside.

If you are a parent struggling with how to help your camper make sense of the chaos, check out some of the links below. National Geographic put together a really helpful article, and our own Southern New England Conference already has a great library of resources for talking with children about difficult issues.

And I remind you to pray. Sometimes we feel like praying won't help anything, that it won't change the world. But I think of prayer as something I can do for myself. Take a moment to pray on your own, and then invite your family to pray with you. It will help you feel connected to each other, grounded in faith, and maybe just a little bit more hopeful about the future.

Together, we can move forward to becoming the country we aspire to be. 

Helpful Links:
How To Talk to Your Kids about the Chaos at the Capitol, National Geographic
What To Say to Kids When the News Is Scary, NPR
Talking with Children about Tough Issues, SNEUCC
Resources for Families and Households in Times of Stress, SNEUCC