We're in what feels like day 40376 in this COVID-19 quarantine. Like many of you, I'm struggling with staying away from the people I love for their safety as well as my own.

What's been one of the hardest parts for me is not being able to attend church and see my church family. To be spiritually fed is an important aspect of my life, as I'm sure it is for many others. So how do we maintain our spiritual diet when our church is unavailable?

And beyond that, how do we keep our faith in a God who allows such things to happen?

I am by no means an expert on any of this. I can only speak from my own experience and understanding. And it is from there I will start.

April 5 was Palm Sunday, the start of the recognized Holy Week. In any other year, we would have had our regular church services both Sunday morning and evening. And on Thursday we would have a communion and foot washing service. Then there's Easter Sunday. A day of particular significance.

As unsettling as it was to be sitting at home on Palm Sunday, I know it will be even more so on Easter. It was a beautiful day in eastern Kentucky, so I decided to sit on my porch and read about Jesus and his disciples as they arrived in Jerusalem. I've tried more often to actually study what I read and I found myself studying forgiveness.

The verse that most stood out to me was Mark 11:25: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Not long before facing the fate He knew was coming, Jesus preached forgiveness to his followers. Forgiveness, to me, is the cornerstone of my faith. And so I remind myself often that I need to forgive, to let go of my anger. I cling instead to my faith.

These are incredibly uncertain times and most of us have a great fear of the unknown. I know I do. I commend the churches that are able to still host virtual services via Facebook or Zoom. My church doesn't even have WiFi, so we remain without. It is sorely missed. I miss singing hymns with the congregation. I miss hearing testimonies from others. And I miss the preached Word. One thing I do not miss — because I am not doing without it — is the presence of God. He was right there with me on my porch as I read. He is with me even now as I write this.

God is never far and that's something we need to remember.

So how can a God of such love and faithfulness allow the spread of such a debilitating illness? I'll not get into the divisive specifics, but I do think we are being shown something here. We are forced to retreat into our homes with our immediate family, who perhaps we saw only a fraction of the time. Many of us have been given more time than we know what to do with. My suggestion? Get into the Word. Use this time to draw closer to the One who only wants your happiness and your safety.

And for those who have never had a relationship with God, use this time to explore the reason why.

I know so many are worried right now about the spread of the virus and the state of their jobs. It feels like we're in limbo, just waiting to see what will happen next. I'm not saying you're wrong to worry, it's difficult not to. But I do believe we can and will make it through this. There have been so many wonderful acts of kindness shown all over the world. I've been absolutely floored by the outpouring of love humanity has shown. And it is that love that I believe we must focus on. Not the worries and the fears, but the time spent with loved ones and the random acts of kindness shown to strangers.

To quote a favorite musical, "To love another person is to see the face of God." In this time given to loved ones and kindness given to strangers, we epitomize that love of God.

Take this time away from the hustle and bustle and find your peace. Practice love. Practice forgiveness. Re-enter the world a better person than when you left it. That's my goal for the end of this.