His Steadfast Love
Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” I must admit, these months of walking through a global pandemic has felt like uncharted territory. Important high-stakes decisions were made on a nearly-daily basis: when to close offices and when to re-open offices, who can work remotely and who needs to be in the office, when and where to wear a mask and gloves . . . the list could go on and on of mundane and dramatic decisions being made every day and sometimes multiple times in one day. I talked to mentors and respected leaders only to hear the same response, “I am praying for you. No one has ever dealt with anything like this before.”
So, in the midst of this constantly changing pandemic and resulting global economic crisis and record unemployment rates, the daily responsibilities of leading this wonderful ministry and taking care of the nearly 300 individuals in our care, and also managing our 130 employees during these uncertain times, what are the things that have remained the same?
First, Psalm 136 reminds us that “the steadfast love of God endures forever.” I put my confidence in His steadfast love. Pandemics and recessions will come and go, but His steadfast love endures forever. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms will befall us, but His steadfast love endures forever. Managing policy changes and personnel issues is part of my job, but His steadfast love endures forever. I will put my hope in Him who does not change and whose steadfast love endures forever.
Second, even in, and perhaps especially in, tumultuous times, our ministry is important and vital. Child abuse reports have dropped significantly during this pandemic, but ER doctors are reporting seeing much more severe cases of suspected or confirmed child abuse. Some families are stretched and their internal and external resources are running dry. This may not bode well for the children in those homes. We have seen a slight increase in referrals to our foster care ministry and an increase in private referrals to our ministries during this pandemic. The ministries we provide are greatly needed during this time.
Third, during a global pandemic and the extreme slowing of the US economy, giving is much less predictable than usual. Our ministry typically considers long-term trends as we forecast our expenses and our revenues. In many areas of our ministry this year, expenses have been down (mostly because of significantly reduced travel), but we are very uncertain about what to expect related to church giving and individual giving, our two biggest sources of support. However, our partners in ministry who invest regularly in our ongoing ministries have always proven their faithfulness and we are confident they will continue to do so, if at all possible.
In our current Lifeprints publication, you'll read how a nearly 130-year-old ministry has dealt with this “once-in-a-lifetime” set of circumstances brought on by COVID-19. I hope you are encouraged to see how God has been our anchor of hope during this unprecedented season, as well as how He has guided us to be flexible and responsive during these challenging times. Our purpose remains to protect, nurture, and restore children and families through Christ-centered services. May God find us to be faithful to this vital mission!