{"id":305873,"date":"2020-03-25T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T11:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/navigating-your-new-normal\/"},"modified":"2020-03-25T07:00:40","modified_gmt":"2020-03-25T11:00:40","slug":"navigating-your-new-normal","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/navigating-your-new-normal\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Your New Normal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Guest: Brian Goins, Ron Deal | With COVID-19 we&#8217;re all in uncharted territory. Brian Goins, head of content at FamilyLIfe, and Ron Deal, head of FamilyLife Blended, offer us a compass for navigating this frightening new normal. Listen as Brian and Ron talk about the four points of the compass: 1) finding true north in God, 2) sorting through our anxieties so things don&#8217;t go south, 3) establishing new rhythms as families, and 4) walking in love as salt and light in the world.<br \/>\nShow Notes and Resources<\/p>\n<p> \tWe have partnered with Phil Vischer, creator of Veggie Tales, as he launches a new way to bring faith to our kids. He is offering free access to his full digital library (https:\/\/mrphil.tv\/) exclusively for our FamilyLife audience. To take advantage of this offer, select the Monthly Plan subscription and enter the COUPON code: FAMILYLIFE\u00a0\u00a0Please note that this offer is only good for six weeks of free content.<br \/>\n \tThe Kensington Service: https:\/\/youtu.be\/WJc43ite728?t=311<br \/>\n \tWatch the Facebook Live event with Brian Goins and Ron Deal. https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/notcanceled#vid.<br \/>\n \tListen to day three of our series with Dave Willis on raising boys who respect girls. https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/talking-to-your-son-about-porn\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With COVID-19 we&#8217;re all in uncharted territory. Brian Goins and Ron Deal offer us a compass for navigating this frightening new normal. Listen as Brian and Ron talk about the four points of the compass beginning with finding true north in God, on FamilyLife Today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/mp3.familylife.com\/fl2020-03-25-repl.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:35:07","filesize":"32.16M","filesize_raw":"33724767","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2096],"tags":[4299],"podcast_series":[],"cwp_profile":[3274,3300],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-305873","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faith","tag-faith","cwp_profile-brian-goins","cwp_profile-ron-deal","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/305873\/navigating-your-new-normal","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/305873\/navigating-your-new-normal","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"fjH7rl2Ue3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/navigating-your-new-normal\/\">Navigating Your New Normal<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/navigating-your-new-normal\/embed\/#?secret=fjH7rl2Ue3\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Navigating Your New Normal&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"fjH7rl2Ue3\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Kari","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kandresenfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"With COVID-19 we're all in uncharted territory. Brian Goins and Ron Deal offer us a compass for navigating this frightening new normal. Listen as Brian and Ron talk about the four points of the compass beginning with finding true north in God, on FamilyLife Today.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylife.com\/fl2020-03-25-REPL.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob:<\/strong> This is Bob Lepine from FamilyLife Today. We want to welcome you to today\u2019s edition of our program, a special edition of the program as we are preempting what we had planned for today. Let me just point out, if you\u2019d like to listen to the conclusion of the three-day conversation we\u2019ve been having this week with Dave Willis, that program is available on our website at FamilyLifeToday.com. You can go and hear day three of our series with Dave Willis on raising boys who respect girls. I\u2019d encourage you to do that; it\u2019s good content.\n\nWe want to talk today about what we're all talking about\u2014and that is the current situation\u2014the pandemic that we\u2019re dealing with in our world. Dave and Ann Wilson are with me today. They\u2019re with me\u2014but we\u2019re keeping more than six-feet separation\u2014You guys are in Detroit and joining us remotely today; right?\n\n<strong>Dave:<\/strong> We are definitely keeping the physical distancing at a looong distance, and we\u2019ve got snow\u2014\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Wow.\n\n<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014in our front yard right now.\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> The governor in your state did what the governor in California, and New York, and Illinois has done and called for a lockdown for the state of Michigan.\n\n<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes, we are on total lockdown.\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I imagine other states are going to follow that lead, especially as outbreaks of COVID-19 continue to multiply.\n\nWe thought it\u2019s important for our listeners to be reminded of where we find balance in times when we are disrupted. I mean, you stop and think of the level of disruption, this week feels completely different from how we were living three weeks ago.\n\n<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014or how we\u2019ve ever lived, Bob.\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes, that's right.\n\n<strong>Dave:<\/strong> It\u2019s a scary time for everybody. I was just on a phone call, talking about leading a church, and giving, and people losing jobs. It\u2019s just a different, unprecedented time that we\u2019re living in right now.\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> When we face times like this, we\u2019ve got to go back to the foundation of our life; and that is our trust in God and our confidence that He is in control. That\u2019s where we\u2019re going to get pointed today. Ron Deal and Brian Goins, who are both a part of the team, here at FamilyLife\u00ae, got together last week and produced a video that we released on Facebook\u00ae Live and on YouTube last week. It\u2019s a video where they talked about navigating the new normal.\n\nBrian is the Vice President of Content, here at FamilyLife. He\u2019s a graduate of Dallas Seminary; worked as a pastor for years before joining the team here at FamilyLife. He and his wife, Jen, speak at our Weekend to Remember\u00ae marriage getaways. Ron, of course, gives leadership to FamilyLife Blended\u00ae and is an author and a speaker. Ron is also a licensed marriage and family therapist, so he deals with a wide variety of marriage and family issues.\n\nWe thought it would be good for our listeners to hear what the two of them talked about as they provided counsel for all of us, as couples and as families, about how we move through these times and how we find our bearing when it feels like the tectonic plates keep shifting on us.\n\n[Video Content]\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> When you\u2019re in unchartered territory, it\u2019s good to have a compass; so we\u2019re going to talk about the four points on the compass. True north, that's number one. We\u2019ve got to always remember where true north is. We\u2019ve got to sort through our fear and pain or things will go south pretty quickly. We\u2019ve got to establish new rhythms to life, and we\u2019ve got to try to walk in love and look for the opportunities to be salt and light in the world.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Right. Alright, Ron, I want to talk about the first one. This first compass point: \u201cRemember where true north is.\u201d How do we get that perspective?\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> You know, times like this are really recalibrating to all of us. What I mean by that is we realize how small we are: we realize how out of control we are, how inadequate we are. We have all these artificial anchors in life\u2014my job, my routine, how life is supposed to go\u2014all of that makes us feel like we\u2019re in control. At times like this, we recognize we are so not in control.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Right; it\u2019s amazing how such a small microscopic thing has shut down the world\u2014\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> That\u2019s right.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> \u2014with all of our power\/with everything that we have. I love how you just said it\u2014it\u2019s a great reminder that we are small.\n\nFor us, finding what true north is\/seeing who true north is, we would see that person as God.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Yes.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> For me, one thing that has helped is I\u2019ve been reading Paul David Tripp\u2019s, New Morning Mercies. If you haven\u2019t gotten that book yet, you need to get that. It\u2019s a great opportunity to just find true north every day.\n\nI was amazed by\u2014even a couple of weeks ago, right when this thing was starting to happen\u2014he was talking about Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the waves just pummeling the boat. He talked about how Jesus didn't come to remove the difficulty; He came to meet them in the difficulty. Just those little reminders help us point back to, \u201cOkay, we\u2019re small; He\u2019s not.\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Yes; I want to encourage people to submit to this recalibration process right now. I don\u2019t know about you, but I've been fighting it. I want to hold on to my idols\u2014sometimes they\u2019re idols; they\u2019re anchors\u2014but sometimes they\u2019re idols: like the things I really have trusted in and, now, I realize I can\u2019t trust in those things. I\u2019m being recalibrated back to where true north is: \u201cI\u2019ve got to hold onto God.\u201d\n\nScriptures like that [Jesus walking on water, Matthew 14:22-33] are really good.\nPsalm 23 is one that I go to over and over and over again. It\u2019s just something that I try to remind myself of: \u201cThe Lord is my shepherd.\u201d You know, in moments like this, you definitely have to lean into: \u201cWho\u2019s in charge?\u201d What does the shepherd do?\u2014He makes me\u2026\u201d \u201cHe leads me\u2026\u201d \u201cHe restores\u2026\u201d \u201cHe leads me\u2026\u201d\u2014I mean, those are repeated there; so God is doing something on our behalf at times like this.\n\nBut notice, Brian, what happens next: \u201cEven though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,\u201d\u2014you know, I think, that if God is my shepherd, there should be no valley. But right here, in one of the most famous passages that people quote all the time at funerals and all kinds of occasions, we\u2019re reminded there's valley, even in the middle when God is shepherding us\/when He is with us. It just means we face the valley with God; we're not alone in the valley. I think that\u2019s a huge reminder.\n\nMeditating on Scriptures like this\u2014holding onto them, quoting them, talking about them over the dinner table\u2014maybe this is a time for your family to memorize a little bit of Scripture, where you\u2019re reoriented by that Scripture\u2014having a little fun with that practice\u2014but it\u2019s helping us remember who\u2019s in charge.\n\nOver 150 times in Scripture God says, \u201cDo not be afraid\u201d; then He tells us how we\u2019re not to be afraid. Basically connected with that\u2014\u201cDo not be afraid,\u201d\u2014is: \u201cI'm with you. I\u2019m never going to leave you.\u201d His presence is a giant hug. You know, when I read\nPsalm 23 or meditate on these other passages, like it\u2019s God\u2019s way of hugging us. We just need to visualize that, experience that, and hold onto that. I think we can even share that with our kids\/with our spouse.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> But just don\u2019t hug me right now; I\u2019m just not quite sure.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Got it.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> I know you said you washed your hands,\u2014\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Got it.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> \u2014but I just don\u2019t want to be quite close to you right now. [Laughter]\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> By the way there, I think there\u2019s a real benefit in being candid with God around our anxiety around all of us.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> God is not fragile. He's not going to be offended if we call out to Him, or cry out to Him, or really wrestle with what is going on? I think God appreciates that. As a matter of fact, there\u2019s an irony: when we are calling out to God, we are talking to God. It\u2019s always good to keep talking to God.\n\nI think we put ourselves in too many corners as Christians: \u201cWell, I shouldn\u2019t be anxious, ever.\u201d \u201cCome on,\u201d\u2014right?\u2014\u201cthat\u2019s not the human experience.\u201d\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Well, that\u2019s what Paul says; right?\u2014\u201cBe anxious for nothing\u201d?\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Well, actually, he says, \u201cDon\u2019t be in a continual state of perpetual anxiety.\u201d That\u2019s a little different than not having circumstantial anxieties and seasons of life, where there\u2019s good reason to be. If somebody\u2019s not anxious, they\u2019re not tuning in to what\u2019s happening in the world.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> You should have a little bit, but you shouldn\u2019t be completely overwhelmed by your anxiety. First Peter 5 says, \u201cCast all your anxieties on Him\u201d; so clearly we are going to have some anxiety. God invites us to, again, lean into true north.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> So talk a little bit about our typical response: Where do we typically go with our fear? What do we typically do with our anxieties?\u2014because running to God isn\u2019t typically our number one thing that we do.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Yes, well, I think sometimes we get mad at God. We feel like the world should revolve around me, so we take it out on Him or other people. We get overwhelmed by our anxiety. Sometimes we withdraw from God and others.\n\nWe sometimes move toward others, expecting them to fix our anxiety\u2014that's a little interesting\u2014like, \u201cI need you to be everything for me, so that I don\u2019t feel anxious.\u201d Now, children need that from parents. We need to be able to be the ones, who are physically touching and reassuring them; they need that for sure.\n\nBut one of the other things we do is get angry, like we\u2019re out of control; and that ripples into anger, and the next thing you know, we're taking it out on somebody.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Is that\u2014I was going to say that really leads us to our second compass point.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Exactly.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> So our second compass point is really: \u201cHow do we sort through our emotions, our fears, our anxieties? How do we manage that fear and that pain that we\u2019re all feeling?\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Well, trusting God is number one\u2014right?\u2014finding north; because that really does remind us that it\u2019s not on me, and I don\u2019t have to ultimately have all the answers.\n\nBut then I think we have to recognize just what we do with our pain and fear, and how that can get ahold of us; and it\u2019s my job to manage that part of me. Somebody said once that fear and grief is astoundingly self-centered. [Laughs] We just see the world through our own lens. All of a sudden, we\u2019re tuning out whatever everybody else around us needs or what\u2019s going on; like we just get self-centered.\n\nWe have to try to take ownership of that and try not to stay in that space as best we can. I think it\u2019s more genuine to say, \u201cI\u2019m not feeling great,\u201d and to talk about that with somebody within your network: a friend, FaceTime, a spouse, a child in your home\u2014to be real with that.\n\nEspecially, let\u2019s talk about kids for a minute; because one of the things I think that parents feel is, \u201cWe\u2019ve got to put up a good front, and we can't be genuine with\u2026\u201d No, I don\u2019t think so. I think, actually, you show them what it is to be uncertain and trusting God in the same moment\u2014like you talk through your uncertainty and how you\u2019re choosing to put faith in God. This is a huge teachable moment for our children to watch us do that, because that\u2019s real.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Ron, talk to the couple, or to the single mom, or to the family that\u2019s going, \u201cWe've never had those conversations, and now you\u2019re telling me I need to start having these around the dinner table?\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> I think a lot of people make this way too hard; they overthink it. They sit around and they plan: \u201cAlright, how do I get real and share my emotions?\u201d No, don\u2019t do that. Just, in the midst of eating dinner or playing a card game, just go: \u201cYou know what? I\u2019m feeling a little weird about this whole thing. I\u2019m just not sure what to make of it, but I\u2019m trusting in God to be with us right now. Anybody else feeling that?\u201d\n\nMy guess is, wow, you just lifted the lid off; and people are like, \u201cYeah, that\u2019s me too!\u201d But because you went first, you gave permission for other people to do it. Don\u2019t overthink it; just jump in.\n\nA couple of other quick tips before we leave this one, Brian.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes, please do.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Just take a deep breath; lower your expectations for yourself. I\u2019ve told myself, \u201cI\u2019m not going to be as productive.\u201d I\u2019m already giving myself and people that work with me permission to go: \u201cI need a break. I need to step away from this. I need to have boundaries, even though it\u2019s in my home. I\u2019m not going to work after a certain hour; I\u2019m walking away, turning off the laptop.\u201d\n\nOtherwise, you\u2019re going to constantly be under pressure in the midst of uncharted territory. Don't do that to yourself, or don\u2019t do that to kids. I hate to say this, but they\u2019re not going to be learning as much\u2014homeschool\/whatever that is for them.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s good. Then you also\u2014we were talking about this yesterday\u2014just having multiple check-ins.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Yes, just check in: \u201cWhat\u2019s happening today?\u201d \u201cWhat are you feeling?\u201d \u201cThis is what\u2019s going on for me\u2026\u201d Again, those are hug moments. You may not feel like you\u2019re hugging each other; but because you\u2019re saying, \u201cWe are going to share this anxiety together,\u201d it ends up being a hug moment.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Let\u2019s go to that third compass point. The third compass point is really about establishing new rhythms; because as we talked about, everything\u2019s been thrown out. All of my markers\/all of my compass points that I\u2019ve had in the past\u2014my 8 to 5: I\u2019m going to my third space at Starbucks, and I\u2019m going to have my coffee, and work there for a little while\u2014that\u2019s gone.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Yes.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> All those tables are put up.\n\nIt is all about, after day one, Jen and I were looking at each other, going, \u201cIf we don\u2019t recognize how our schedules are or figure out a new schedule, we\u2019re going to go insane.\u201d For us, it came down to\u2014I\u2019ll just say real quickly\u2014but six \u201cS\u201d sounds, you know:\n\nWe wanted to seek the Lord first; that\u2019s true north.\n\nWe wanted to study: our kids need to study; they didn't have time for studying. We could learn new things, read more books that we\u2019ve never done before.\n\nWe talk about screens. We\u2019ve got to navigate the screens now and negotiate: \u201cOkay, we can\u2019t just default to that. So how do I help our kids self-regulate?\u201d\n\nWe talked about times of celebration. These are these hug moments that you\u2019re talking about: the times around the dinner table; play games again, like you've done before; be okay with reviewing all of that.\n\nThen we talked a little bit about how we\u2019re trying to serve: \u201cWhat are some unique ways we can serve one another?\u201d\u2014we call that chores\u2014so \u201cServe one another\u201d; we\u2019ve reframed that.\n\nThen \u201cCan we be salt and light to others?\u201d and try to find a way, even with social distance, to serve.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> What I love about this conversation that your family had\u2014\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Right.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> \u2014is you are negotiating the new rhythms of life; so the conversation is a big negotiation, if you will, of: \u201cAlright, how are we going to do this? What are the boundaries? What do we expect of each other? How are we going to do this?\u201d\n\nI think, if I remember right, you guys said your plan is to have a regular check-in with the kids: revisit the \u201cS\u2019s\u201d and \u201cHow\u2019s that going for you?\u201d and \u201cHow\u2019s this going for you?\u201d\u2014not high pressure\u2014but just simply as a tool to help give new normality to what everybody is dealing with. You\u2019re kind of talking it through in order to figure out how you\u2019re going to do life together, because all the rules are off.\n\nYou\u2019re going to have to dialogue frequently, especially here in the uptake of all of this. And you\u2019re going to have to talk with other homes, if you\u2019re a single parent and children move between homes, or a blended family. We had somebody on Facebook\u00ae ask, \u201cHow do we self-quarantine when the children need to go to the other home?\u201d\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> That\u2019s a great question.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> You know what? I don\u2019t know that I know the answer. I know, in these unprecedented times, you may have to be really flexible and figure out a way to work together. I do think it\u2019s important for kids to continue to have access to parents; so yes, this is just strange. It\u2019s going to be a conversation\u2014finding those routines and discovering what those are going to be with one another\u2014I think is important.\n\nI\u2019m mindful, Brian, that somebody\u2019s lost a job.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> And they have a whole lot of time that they didn\u2019t want to have. They\u2019re not sure what they\u2019re going to do. Finding the new rhythm with that is going to be a matter of prayer for sure. You might be able to get creative and find some ways of earning a little money that are just outside the box for you, online or whatever.\n\nThe other thing I want to say is, if you need help financially, reach out. I know there are churches; I know you have friends and family members that would want to make a difference. Right now, they can drop it off on your doorstep. Sometimes we just have to ask.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> I've got one more idea I want to throw on here; and it\u2019s simply this: \u201cI think we've got to remain flexible.\u201d Just today my wife was noticing on Facebook that some new information came down; schools are going to be closed longer than people thought. It\u2019s like, \u201cOh my goodness; it\u2019s changing again.\u201d\n\nSo as you develop these new routines\/try to establish a new normal. Let\u2019s just recognize it could change tomorrow. We\u2019re going to have to keep doing this: revisiting over and over and over. I just have a feeling it\u2019s going to be an ongoing process of figuring out how we navigate this together.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Yes; Ron, I did remember my last \u201cS.\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> What is it?!\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> It was \u201csweat.\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Sweat?!\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> So work out; get outside as much as you can. It\u2019s spring\u2014I know, for some places, it's still pretty cold and there\u2019s winter\u2014but as much as you can, find a way to get energy back; because that really helps you over the long haul.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Good self-care.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> So that leads us to our last point\u2014which is our last compass point\u2014which is really: \u201cWalk in love: \u2018How do we do this with our family and for those we can be salt and light to?\u2019\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> We\u2019re looking for opportunities to be what you just said, \u201csalt and light.\u201d Of course, getting reoriented towards true north helps us get outside of ourselves; but serving other people also helps us get outside of ourselves. One of the great ways to deal with tension and uncertainty is to start doing for others rather than just looking in the mirror, and wondering, and worrying about, \u201cWhat\u2019s going on with my own life?\u201d This is actually good mental health; this is good self-care.\n\nBut far more important than that, this is an opportunity to let light shine in the world. We just have to begin to look for opportunities: \u201cHow do we be real, as a community, in our own neighborhoods?\u201d\u2014finding ways of getting outside of ourselves and doing, even if it\u2019s doing, virtually, for somebody.\n\nYou made a comment off-camera a little while ago that was a little convicting for me. You were talking about how some people are being cavalier about all of this. Yes, I\u2019ve found myself being a little flippant at times, like: \u201cAh, it\u2019s not as bad as they make it out to be,\u201d \u201cWell, maybe it is\u201d; but I have a sense of security about my life. But there are people that don\u2019t have that for whatever reason: sometimes it\u2019s financial, job loss, whatever it might be. This is a great chance for me to get outside of myself and start pouring into the people that are marginalized in society, that are on the edges, that are really having struggle right now. Soon and very soon, we could all have struggle\u2014I have no idea\u2014but right now, I have an opportunity to help somebody else.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> Absolutely; whether it\u2019s loving people inside our home or it\u2019s loving people outside our home, we're not going to be able to do that well. It\u2019s a radical love that we\u2019re talking about, because it's getting outside of ourselves. We can\u2019t do that without God\u2019s help; I can't do that without the help of the Spirit.\n\nWhen Jesus told His disciples in the upper room, the night before He\u2019s about to go to the cross, the greatest crisis that He [would] ever [go] through, He told them, \u201cI want you to love one another as I have loved you.\u201d He knew they couldn\u2019t do it on their own; so He said, \u201cI\u2019m going to send you the Spirit.\u201d\n\nThe Spirit is really\u2014it\u2019s that sense of, when we feel uncertain and we\u2019re not sure quite how to do this, that we depend upon Him: say a quick \u201cHelp me, Lord.\u201d When my kids are being incredibly irritable, that\u2019s the moment I need to move into them. When my wife or when I\u2019m feeling impatient, that\u2019s the moment that I go: \u201cGod, help me in this moment. Help me to love; help me to walk in love.\u201d Now, more than ever, we need that kind of radical love.\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> Yes; you know, just this morning, I was reading Philippians, Chapter 4. It\u2019s a passage we read about anxiety, but I was amazed at how many of the little four navigation points we\u2019ve been talking about are embedded in this little passage:\n\n\u201cRejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.\u201d Now, how are you going to do that if you don't know where true north is?\u2014right? You get your compass set, and all of a sudden, you're reminded, \u201cI can find joy, even in this hard situation, because I know what\u2019s eternal; and I know what happens,\u201d\u2014so there\u2019s something to hold onto there.\n\n\u201cLet your reasonableness\u201d\u2014or gentleness, or generosity is another word that comes through in this passage\u2014\u201cbe known to everyone.\u201d What an opportunity to let our generosity be known to everyone.\n\n\u201cThe Lord is at hand.\u201d That\u2019s another true north reference: \u201cHey, He\u2019s with you; He\u2019s present. We\u2019re not in this all by ourselves.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo\u201d\u2014verse 6\u2014\u201cdo not be anxious about anything.\u201d We say that, sometimes, as if we never have reason to be anxious; that's not what he's saying. \u201cBecause the Lord is with you, do not be anxious.\u201d By the way, that's the perpetual state of anxiety. It\u2019s not that we can\u2019t be anxious, some, given circumstances; but don\u2019t live in a constant state of not knowing where north is\u2014right? That\u2019s what he\u2019s talking about.\n\n\u201cBut in everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,\u201d\u2014this is how we cope\u2014\u201cand the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.\u201d We want to manage our fear and our pain: we call out to God; we cry out to Him.\n\nThen it continues: \u201cThink about things that are true and honorable and just and pure and lovely,\u201d\u2014these are all true north qualities\u2014\u201cIf anything is excellent, praiseworthy think about these things.\u201d Again, this helps us to find where north is and how to move forward.\n\n\u201cPractice these things,\u201d even within your home: whoever\u2019s there; the limitations that we have.\n\n<strong>Brian:<\/strong> I just think practice is all about new rhythms. It\u2019s about that sense of: \u201cOkay, we\u2019ve got to establish those.\u201d\n\n<strong>Ron:<\/strong> We walk that out. And what\u2019s the final part of this passage?\n\n\u201c\u2026and the God of peace will be with you.\u201d Ultimately, that\u2019s what we're holding onto here.\n\n[Studio]\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> That\u2019s Ron Deal, who, together with Brian Goins, recently provided counseling and coaching for all of us on how we work our way through the current COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting every one of us.\n\n<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes, I actually listened to that, live, when they presented it the other night. It was so helpful\u2014the compass reminder and true north. I mean, we know it; but it\u2019s just good to be reminded that there is a rock that is never moved, that is stable, that is going to guide us\u2014His name is Jesus\u2014through this storm. That\u2019s a reminder we need to hear and learn and, also, broadcast to others.\n\n<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I think those guys are so wise. They\u2019re just giving us direction; they're giving us peace. I love that, Dave, you mentioned the foundation; we mentioned the anchor; we mentioned true north; we mentioned how Jesus is our foundation, and that is what He is.\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And Ann, I love the fact that they told us to stay on mission and keep our eyes open. What\u2019s your hashtag that you\u2019re promoting during this?\n\n<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes; #CoronaLoveChallenge\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I love that.\n\n<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes, because it\u2019s easy to huddle in and have our eyes on ourselves. That\u2019s what we do when we\u2019re fearful\u2014we go inward\u2014but I think God, always, is saying, \u201cNo, keep your eyes outward,\u201d \u201cHow can we love an be on mission for those around us?\u201d\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Dave, pray for us, will you, just as we\u2019ve heard these things; and we want to make sure we stay anchored and we stay focused. Just pray for each one of us; will you?\n\n<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I would love to.\n\nFather, we recognize You are our only hope. You are our foundation. As Ron and Brian said, You are true north. You are solid in the midst of unstable and uncertain times. So You are the only one that we can place our hope and our peace and find joy even in the middle of this.\n\nSo, Lord, we trust You; we believe You. We ask You to protect, and guide, and work in and through us in this time. I pray that You would just help us even to find a vaccine to cure this thing; but Lord, be our true north; be our foundation. I pray that You would bring us peace in the middle of this whole thing. Help us to be taking the peace that You give us to bring it to others in many different ways. In Jesus\u2019s name, Amen.\n\n<strong>Bob and Ann<\/strong>: Amen.\n\n<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I want to encourage our listeners\u2014you can go to our website, FamilyLifeToday.com, if you\u2019d like to view the video\u2014the complete session\u2014with Ron and Brian; you can share that with others. This would be great for the family to watch together; or if you\u2019ve got friends or family members\/relatives, you can pass the video along to them. Again, go to FamilyLifeToday.com; the link for the video is available there.\n\nTomorrow, we\u2019re going to hear from the two of you, Dave and Ann Wilson. You shared with your congregation that hope is not cancelled and gave us some very practical ways that we can live through this virus, so that\u2018s coming up on tomorrow\u2019s program. I encourage our listeners to be with us for that.\n\nThanks today to our engineer, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team, who\u2019s working extra hard this week on all of these programs. On behalf of our hosts, Dave and Ann Wilson, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We\u2019ll see you back tomorrow for another edition of FamilyLife Today.\n\nFamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas; a Cru\u00ae Ministry. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\nWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider donating today to help defray the costs?\n\nCopyright \u00a9 2020 FamilyLife. 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