Staying Balanced during COVID-19

As we experience the effects of COVID-19, I've felt really overwhelmed! The news is changing every hour and our restrictions on social norms are shifting daily. The moment you think you've got these new norms sorted, they change again. My friend, Jonathan, was sharing recently that we have to get really good at thinking inside this COVID-19 box and innovate inside these constraints. I agree! The tricky part is that the box is continually shifting in size and dimensions. Do you feel a bit like Luke, Leia, and the crew inside the Death Star trash compactor as the walls are closing in?

What can we do in response? What does faith call for in days like this when the walls seem to be closing in? Our friends at Praxis have some bold recommendations for organizations in this article. The Chalmers Center has some good ideas for you and your church at their blog.

On a personal level, how can you and your family stay balanced in the middle of this rapidly evolving pandemic? Between changes to schooling, work, social gatherings, and meals, it's getting crazy! My family is organizing our plan using a Christian model of understanding who we and our most vital relationships with God, ourself, others and creation. This is an ancient model and has been used more recently to address issues of poverty (World Vision and The Chalmers Center). I've adapted the model for the COVID-19 world to include “self & family” in the center. If you're like me, your family is top priority right now as you "shelter in place." In fact, in many Asian and African cultures your extended family is seen as being part of the "self." Next, along with your family, you can organize your priorities, projects, and issues along these four key relationships of God, Self/Family, Neighbors, and Creation. This helps us know if we're staying balanced and attentive to all four relationships. Here's an example:

I've included a template you can use for your family (download pdf here). I hope this helps! Let me know what you think about organizing life around God, Self/Family, Neighbors, and Creation.