One year ago, there was no COVID-19. Life was on its fastest pace. Worldwide, mankind was on a roll: crowded malls, beaches, bars, casinos, gyms. Unlimited credit spending on luxury cars, expensive branded purses, worldwide travels and tours, shop till you drop, buffets, casinos. Not a lot of people went to church.

Suddenly, the world came into a stand still. The fear of the unknown, disease affecting many people, the lockdowns have been sustained and prolonged with no end in sight. Our invisible enemy, COVID, made us go back to basics. Some turn to God, some lost faith, some find their life back to believing in a supernatural being. Some remain clueless!

We all have wished to go back to the old. But it looks like our old wish to normalcy is lost in oblivion. Our wish now is to get to the new normal. This new normal appears to be coming slow and is so unknown to when it’s going to happen. The new normal still remains to be seen.

With all these things happening, my faith was tested and though did not come easy, had been strengthened. Trust also did not come naturally, as in my mind, things are often too good to be true. But I began to trust that these things are happening for a reason! Could be the signs of the times, a time of reckoning? Or, at worst, tribulation.

And then, I started trying to know Christ more in my own simple way. I just read a one minute devotion each morning. The more I get to know Christ, the more I find myself wanting to trust him. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by people every day who love, trust, and follow in the footsteps of Christ.

I encourage everyone to pray. Let us wrap ourselves in Christ’s grace, mercy and love. Let’s put our faith and Trust in him and let him carry us through the darkest times of our lives. Could be job loss, family problems, death of a love one, the pandemic, political unrest etc!

If we do not do it now, when?

About the Author

A farmer's daughter, Dr. Luviminda Saidro was born and raised in a small barrio in Ifugao, Philippines. She became a physician through scholarships (Government and Missionary Scholarships). After graduation, she served with the Catholic Missionaries as a vicariate physician in Benguet and Ifugao then had a short stint working at Ifugao Provincial Hospital in the Philippines before moving to the USA to join her husband. She hurdled through the tedious US Medical Licensure Examinations and had Residency Training in Family Medicine. She currently works with the California Dept of Corrections. Married to an Episcopalian, she eventually became one herself. Dr. Saidro also finds joy in spending time with her wonderful friends and family, including her one and only son, who is also pursuing a career in nursing.