Have you ever been cold, inside your soul? For the past couple of weeks, I’ve felt that way. Conversations with friends and family have made me more aware than ever of the great divide in America. Frigid temps permeate the political scene. While the Supreme Court decision re Roe v. Wade gave some reason to rejoice, a huge percentage of the country disagrees. While some look at allegations against Trump with glee, others defend him. Negative news on both sides crashes like a calving glacier until we don’t know what to believe or who to trust anymore. Yet my recent trip to Alaska and one to Norway in 2018 taught me that when it’s below freezing outside, the best thing to do is BUNDLE UP!

When a cup of hot chocolate can’t possibly warm up our insides, there are a few things we can do that help. 

Enlarge Your Perspective

This past week, I was talking to my hair stylist about the volatility in our economy. We’re both concerned about inflation. Sarah knows that if she leaves California, she can afford to buy a home for less than her rent here. Still, she’s concerned about interest rates being around 6 percent. 

Because I’m a few decades older, reassuring her was easy. When I bought my home in 1981, mortgage interest was at an all-time high. Mortgage interest rates had climbed to 18.45 percent.  My mother financed our home loan for 12 percent interest. A few years later, we refinanced for 6 percent and were thrilled with the reduction. Homes may cost more now, but we made far less money. Somehow we survived, and so will young adults today. 

The further back you go, the more encouragement you can find. I wasn’t alive when the stock market crashed on October 28, 1929. By mid-November investors had lost half their investments. It took about 25 years, but eventually the market rose again to its pre-crash heights. In the intervening years, with much analysis, important lessons have been learned to hopefully avert another devastating financial crisis.

Believe the Best

⁴Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Choose Love

Sometimes we feel love and sometimes we don’t. That’s true whether it’s a close family member, a close friend, or even an enemy. On my good days I choose love, even for people I don’t like. Even for people who disagree vehemently. Even for those who may cause me heartache. But there are far too many days when that’s not the case. That’s when I need to bundle up all the more in God’s love so it can flow in and through me.

Studying His Word helps because through it the Holy Spirit often speaks to my soul. A few days ago, while I was struggling, I read Matthew 26. Knowing Jesus was about to be tortured to death, He prayed. He didn’t want to go through the agony set before Him but He gave His will over to the Lord God Almighty, who had a grander plan than any of us could have imagined.

Jesus chose love to die for us, even when we failed Him the most. That kind of love is enough to spark a fire that spreads hope, comfort, and joy at the possibilities.