People everywhere are adjusting to completely new lives due to COVID-19. Things have changed for everyone, leaving no one unaffected. We've been driven apart and left alone. People are becoming increasingly more lonely and bored as well. Schools have moved online, businesses have closed, and strict guidelines have been put into place. But what about churches?

Churches, like all other institutions, have been closed. They are no exception to the pandemic, and across the globe church bodies have stopped gathering completely. However, while many communities are feeling separated, churches seem to be drawing closer together.

While it makes sense for Christians to desire to draw near to each other in such a scary time, we can't. Yet somehow, we've still gotten closer together as a church community. Now, we're meeting outside of regular church times via Zoom or other online methods, we're checking in on each other like never before, and most importantly, we're following the message of Psalm 46:10.

The familiar Psalm is called on by many in daily life, but especially now in a time where we can do nothing but remain in place. God calls us here to "Be still, and know that I am God". For me especially, now I'm almost forced to do this. I think we all are. Instead of being busy with ordinary life stuff, we're able to just be still for a moment and listen to what God has to say to us.

I'm sure many Christians have questions about a very special upcoming celebration as well. With Easter fast approaching, it's hard to not have concern for traditions and values surrounding the holiday. Some people might even go as far to say that Easter has been "ruined" for the year, or that we're going to "miss it".

The fact remains that no, Easter hasn't been ruined because Easter has already happened. And as Christians, we believe that it continues to happen every single day. We can't miss something that's already been taken care of for us. Instead, we can celebrate in different ways not only on Easter and Passion Week, but all the time. Christ didn't die for us to celebrate on one day a year. He died so that we could celebrate life, every day of our life. Without His death and resurrection, there wouldn't be an Easter to celebrate.

I recently watched a sermon by my local church's pastor. The message was essentially this: God did not send His son for me to be mediocre. So, this Passion Week and Easter, I've resolved to find new ways to celebrate every day of my life, and I hope all my friends and family will join me, even if from 6 feet apart.