Are you superstitious? Personally I’m not, but some people are and they tremble at the very thought of anything that relates to the number thirteen—hotel room numbers, floors in a building, street addresses, dates on the calendar, and even the military time of 1300 hours! I’m sure you can conjure up your very own connotation of the number thirteen.

Today is Friday Thirteenth, and as if that isn’t enough to unsettle those of you who are overly superstitious, there’s a new bully on the block terrorizing mankind. Covid-19 is on the move, swirling its evil tentacles around the globe, wreaking havoc with human health, creating turmoil wherever it goes, striking fear into the hearts and minds of millions the world over, and infecting thousands with its virulent virus. It’s all part and parcel of The Life and Times of Now! 

Yes, the unknown is scary and none of us know what the future holds.

For us, it’s one day at a time. So much is out of our control as new developments emerge daily. We have no clue what April 13th will bring—that’s the day we’re scheduled to leave for our prepaid 3-week trip to Scotland. Will it happen? It remains to be seen. Will the UK close borders? Will flights cancel? Will we be quarantined in our house, or our movements restricted to Austin? We simply don’t know. What we do know is that while much is beyond our control, we must be prepared for anything. We may have to make some hard decisions, and that means being brave, resilient, discerning, and flexible, and we must remain hopeful.  Expect the best, but not bury our heads in the sand.

We must all be fearless in the face of this insidious virus. No panic allowed—panicking clouds judgement and induces stress. We don’t need to exacerbate any existing stress, do we?

So, let’s not dwell on the fact that it’s Friday 13th and Covid-19 is loose and on the prowl for victims. Instead, let’s welcome Fearless Friday! Let’s stay calm and overcome doubts and fears. I understand it’s not easy to do when we’re threatened with a highly infectious, fast-moving virus with no known cure; one that leaves a trail of devastation in its wake. This pandemic is a serious situation and deserves our full attention but we must not let it consume our every waking moment.

Yes, I know both the known and unknown are scary, nevertheless I urge you to not panic or overly obsess, causing unnecessary stress that won’t help matters and will deplete your precious immune system. Stay vigilant and make wise decisions.

I encourage you to employ all the protective measures—by now, you can probably recite the list of precautions until you’re blue in the face! It’s always unsettling when we don’t know much about our enemy, but we must arm ourselves with knowledge, courage and faith.

Be fearless! When you’ve done all you can do—that’s all you can do.

I believe there’s usually something good wrapped up in the darkness to provide hope and light. I’m sure we’ll see some good things in the coming days. Those of you who know me, understand I make it a practice to look for the positive in challenging situations. I want to share a few good things I observed today on Fearless Friday.

• The country’s uniting to battle the threat of Covid-19 – new streamlined health systems will emerge
• Bold new rules are in place for the protection of our citizens.
• The stock market rallied today, the best day since Oct 2008, despite recorded losses this week.
• Millions are implementing diligent health habits (disinfecting, hand washing, no touching face)
• There’s a pleasing heightened awareness on taking steps to build natural immunity.
• An increased understanding of inexpensive, environmentally safe products that kill viruses (Basic G)
• Families are taking control of their health—choosing natural supplements to boost immunity.
• Many people are learning to transform worry and fear into faith in God, who IS still in control even though are questions aren’t answered.

I challenge you to remain cool, calm and collected. Be that person in the family who brings peace and assurance.  Contact your family and friends and see how they are, especially those who are elderly or alone, or both. Alleviate any troublesome fears. Reassure them you’re there for them through the coming weeks.

Be a beacon of light to those who cannot see beyond the darkness. I’m so proud of you for shining your light. Love one another. Always believe something wonderful is about to happen.

Be fearless.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose ~ Romans 8:28