What Sets Us Apart

Oh, friends!

These past few days have completely affirmed everything that I set out to share with you in this email today.  Praise God...🙌  He already knew that you knew that this was something we all needed.  

2020 has been far from normal and, if you're like me, most of my conversations revolve around worry and uncertainty.  The words "COVID" and "are you sending your kids to school?' are in every.single.conversation I have right now.  Is that true for you too?

I struggle as a mom...should I send my kids to school?  Should they stay home?  What if they get sick?  What if other kids or a teacher gets sick?  I struggle as a business owner...Are we doing everything right?  How long will this last?  I struggle as a friend...How does this work if we did feel comfortable interacting with others?  How do I bring people into my home?  When can I see my family again?  All sense of "normalcy" and expectations have gone out the window. It feels impossible to make a good decision, let alone know if there is a right decision.

When you received our launch email, you hopefully got to read the collection description.  We don't know about you, but lately, the thought of "never" creeps in a lot: things will never get better, I'll never get to see my grandparents again, school will never return to a normal schedule, I'll never catch up from the financial hardships this season has brought...maybe you've had these same thoughts and more.  But here's the problem with the idea of "never"– it chokes out hope.  

Waiting is hard, isn't it?  I'm not good at it, and want to just plow on, force things, be reckless for the sake of getting what I want.  The thing about waiting on the Lord though, means that we are actively putting our hope in Him, and that’s exactly what sets us apart from the doom and gloom of this world.  He promises that He “acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64.4)

Maybe you're like us and you have had interactions with friends or family members or co-workers who are just paralyzed with fear and anxiety.  Honestly, we've had to fight this regularly too, but if we stop and remember that Jesus has already saved us from doom, and that He works all things together for the good of those who love him (Romans 8.28) then we can find peace–if we choose to trust and rest in Him, knowing His ways are higher.  How freeing!

So, we've felt a stirring in our hearts that this hope in Jesus is exactly what sets us apart from those who are stuck in the worries of this world, and that the Lord is calling us to radiate it!  When we interact with those struggling, He is calling us to give them the hope of Him.  It's with this hope that we can shift our thoughts to Him and encourage others to also.

We invite you to join in this effort with us, to share the hope of Jesus as the solution. This won't always look perfect.  In fact, it's a daily fight, even minute by minute, to keep our eyes on Him, but truly we have this hope that the Word says will "anchor our souls." (Hebrews 6.19). A hope that reminds us that no matter what circumstances come our way, He is faithful.
 

But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 1 Peter 3.15​

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.  Hebrews 10.23

He is faithful friends.  We can trust Him, and what a joy it is to share our hope in Him with others.

***If you'd enjoy memorizing and clinging to a few verses as you fight for hope, or to have them in your pocket to give away, we've created this easy download for you to have them all in one place.  Be encouraged!

Joyfully,
Carrie


What about you?  What are you currently struggling to trust the Lord with?  I would love to pray for you.  Send me an email : carrie@etch.life.  It would be a joy + an honor.