Bloggers: ElenaKay Rowan (15yrs) and Cassia Rowan (13yrs)
It’s awe-inspiring seeing how God works and moves in our daily lives. One moment you can be stuck in a boring class lecture, while the very next you’re stuck inside at home. Change isn’t easy, there is always the process of settling.
At the beginning of quarantine my sister, Cassia, and I were excited to be off school. However later on we soon started to miss our regular lives. One of the hardest consequences of staying at home is not being able to connect with other young people, although being separated from our friends has drawn us closer as a family. Our mom decided we’d do a family Bible Study together. Learning and growing in the Word of God has kept us strong during these difficult days.
A way I, ElenaKay, have been able to stay connected with my friends is through our Royal Youth Community Group Zoom calls. On Wednesdays after the online youth service, my Community Group (CG) joins on a call. We talk with our leader about the message, what we took from it, and things we need prayer for. On Saturdays we have themed Zoom hangouts, one time we did a Christmas theme and recently we have done a formal theme. Our Saturday hangouts are fun and distract us from everything going on. It’s really great to see my friends’ faces and fill our house with laughter.
A way I, Cassia, have been able to connect with my friends is also through our Zoom CG’s. We talk about any new experiences going on in our lives and how much our lives have changed. A new thing my leader has had us do is focus on talents that we can work on for the next couple of days and we share about it at our next meeting. She also gives us a verse to think about during the week. We always end up laughing, joking around, and having a good time. Even though it has been great to see my friends online during this quarantine, I really can’t wait to see them in person.
Here are some ways we have been able to stay sane during this quarantine…
– Having family movie nights and binge watching TV shows together. We have just begun watching a YouTube TV series called “The Chosen” about the life of Jesus. It is really good and shows a new perspective to the Bible.
– Swimming in our pool
– Going on hikes and bike rides at our local state park
– Reading books. One of the benefits of Covid-19 is being able to catch up on some of our favorite reads.
– Online games
– Art and craft projects
– Cooking and baking is a biggie in our household
– The freedom to wear PJ’s all day with the occasional makeup and dress up for photo shoots. Here are some scriptures we’d like to encourage you with;
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
Isaiah 43:1b NIV
Who knows when things will return to normal, or even what the new normal will look like? One thing that’s most certain is God’s love for us – we don’t have to be afraid of what’s to come or what might happen because of God’s undying and faithful love. These times may be trying, but with kindness and compassion we can help ourselves and our neighbors through it. God loves us and will forever be by our sides, all we need to do is trust in Him. We both pray and hope you stay healthy and safe!