T’Neil Walea offers six tips to stay connected during the pandemic. We are better together; reach out today.
Stop reading and text someone right now and tell them how thankful you are to have them in your life. Right now. Seriously. Finished?
OK, let’s continue. We are living in a crazy world. If you are not a fan of technology, this year must have been the most difficult year you’ve lived through. Right now our greatest asset as families, friends, and churches is technology. Families stay connected with FaceTime, friends get their laughs from group messages, and churches stay together with streaming. We need technology.
21 Days = A habit is formed
63 Days = A belief is formed
When Jesus called His disciples, He had them follow Him. Jesus’ disciples followed Him in behavior but after spending time with Jesus, they believed. Belief always follows behavior.
Stay Connected: Better Together
As of this writing, we have been in the COVID-19 chaos for over twenty weeks—one-hundred-plus days. We have soared beyond habits and more than doubled the amount of time it takes to form a belief. We are being conditioned to believe what all we are being told by our national and global leaders.
What have we been told during this time? You are better locked up in your home isolated. Gathering together is bad. Being closer than six feet to someone is detrimental to your health. Singing in service can spread the virus. Praying together in an altar area is toxic. We are better alone.
Over half of all Americans now admit to being in depression—because this is never how we were supposed to live. Hebrews 10:25 tells us to not forsake assembling together. Psalm 68:6 tells us that God puts the lonely in families. Why? Because we need each other. We are better together. We must take our loneliness into our own hands and actively defy what our culture is trying to make us believe. I need you. You need me.
Loneliness Is in Your Hands
During this time of quarantine, I listened to a pastor pour his heart out on a podcast. He said that when he was at the lowest point of his life, nobody reached out to him. So, he took his loneliness into his own hands and decided that if it was in his power, he would never let someone suffer in silence again. So, one day he texts all the names beginning with the letter A in his phone; the next day he texts all of the names beginning with the letter B. He continues through the alphabet and then starts over with A after twenty-six days. Why? Because he learned that loneliness was in his power to fix.
Why did I ask you to text someone before reading this article? That’s why. Loneliness is in your hands. If you feel lonely, reach out. If you are in depression, tell someone. If you feel despondent, cry out to the God who hears you.
We must not fall prey to the notion that we are better alone and that gathering is bad. It is leading to the highest suicide and depression rates our nation has ever seen. What can you do during this time to stay connected? Here’s a few ideas we implemented at First Church.
1. Text or call someone daily and engage in conversation.
2. Start an online small group through Zoom.
3. Meet some friends in a parking lot and drink a cup of coffee together while staying in your cars with windows down.
4. Start a Facebook group to post funny moments you’ve had during this time.
5. Make dinner and deliver it to someone. Serve others.
6. Turn off the news.
How do we stay connected during all of this? Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Take your loneliness into your own hands. Stop focusing on all the bad in the world and trust the God that said He will never leave you and never forsake you. We are in His hands—but loneliness is in our hands.
Reach out today. We are better together.
Bio: T’Neil Walea is married to Tyler Walea, pastor of First Church, Pearland, Texas. She is the mother of three: two girls and a baby boy. T’Neil works full-time for IBM while serving the First Church family.
Resources and Links
A version of this content originally appeared in Reflections. To see more content or subscribe, visit Reflections.
If you are looking for a book to improve your relationships, click here: Apostolic Family: Insight for Living in the Twenty-first Century
Awesome advice!! Thank you 😊
And I might add…..
For those who are single and live alone, we gotta find ways to laugh and be positive, especially at times like this.
For example: Pray a daily!!
Maybe get out old pics, home movies and have some fun with that.
Also, take the time to organize and clean out a much needed closet or two.
Paint a room (if you live in a rental, ask permission)
Clean out the garage or find a new hobby
Go out and sit in the sunshine (daily), take a walk and wave and say hi to others passing by, who are also walking.
Try not to text, but instead, call friends and family, use facetime or Google duo, it will make a huge difference.
As soon as your able, go to your fave coffee shop and sit outside, when the weather is nice.
Go golfing or fishing 😎 (which are often activities that can be done alone)
Maybe do some meal planning, making meals to can or freeze.
It’s deff diff for those who live with others, but for those of us who live alone, it can be really isolating and quiet, so be sure to have your fave music on during the day.
I also totally agree, to turn off the news and instead, educate yourself about topics that interest you, maybe even take an
online class and learn about something you’ve been putting off.
This is a time of change and yet it can be a positive change, because what is sometimes meant for evil, God can turn it around and make something good come from it all.
We are the people of God and God is in control, he is not concerned about the future and we can deff rest in Him.
You may be alone physically, but you are never really alone, because God is with you, so be of good cheer and God bless you all.
Thank you for your comment. We appreciate what you have to say.