2020 was the year life changed in the blink of an eye.
We watched the news as a newfound virus took over China and heard rumors of other countries being affected. I remember reading about the first case in the United States and shrugging as the government banned foreign nationals who had been in China for the prior two weeks from entering the U.S. on Jan. 31. “It won’t be that bad,” I thought.
And then, we were caught in a whirlwind. We woke up in March to former President Trump’s declaration of National Emergency and witnessed our world slowly being confined to our homes. Weeks turned into months, and a year went by as we stood between two places — life as it was and life as it would be.
Everyone knew that life would never be the same as the pandemic progressed. “A new normal” was the word on the street.
Some of us transitioned well, making lemonade out of those sour lemons. I remember reading social media posts from some of my fellow authors about their productive days. New books were released. People started working out for the first time in years. An acquaintance lost 40 pounds because she “finally slowed down to take care of herself.”
I remember reading the posts and listening to the accounts, bewildered. Was I missing something? It wasn’t just restaurants that were empty. My brain went into lockdown as well. The pandemic months marked a time of tough life transitions for me, and I felt like those characters in cartoons when something hits them and they are left spinning around.
In the middle of the pandemic, our oldest child transitioned from teenage years to adulthood. The transition came with added stress on many fronts. For the first time as a mom, there was nothing I could do to help. In the middle of the pandemic, my mom became extremely sick in Brazil, and I could not travel to be with her. And to make matters worse, menopause hit me with its fully-fledged symptoms.
No, I was not productive or getting thinner those days. I was caught in the middle of the road between life as I knew it and the future, and there was no manual telling me what to do and how to respond.
Yes - I was in my prayer closet daily, talking to God, listening, reading scriptures, and striving to anchor my heart in God’s promises. But truth be told, even with great faith, some transitions inevitably pull the rug from under our feet, especially if they all hit simultaneously.
I recently interviewed bestselling author Nicki Koziarz about her new book, “Your New Now: Finding Strength and Wisdom When You Feel Stuck Where You Are.” In her book, Koziarz offers practical advice, relatable stories, and biblical wisdom for, as she says, “the crossroads of what was and what is yet to be.”
Using the life of Moses as the backdrop, she identifies four transitional seasons to help people navigate life’s “in-between” stages victoriously. Her book gives readers practical and insightful guidance to help them identify the transition season they are facing, understand its purpose, and learn how to utilize Scripture to fight fears and anxiety about the future.
One of the most challenging aspects of any transition is often realizing that something we love is forever gone. Waiting for our new now can be agonizing. The pain of losing what used to be can be overwhelming. But with God’s help and, yes, sometimes, the help of a godly counselor, we can use this challenging time to grow spiritually and personally.
Hindsight is, of course, 20/20. Looking back at those 18 months during the pandemic, I can clearly see God’s hand holding back the waters and parting the sea ahead of me. And as I stand today, facing yet again a time when a door has closed, and I find myself caught between what was and is yet to be, I choose to trust once more that God is going before me and his faithfulness will never fail.
To listen to Patricia’s interview with Nicki, search God-Sized Stories with Patricia Holbrook on all podcast platforms or YouTube. You can find “Your New Now” anywhere books are sold.
Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, podcaster and international speaker. Visit her new website: www.PatriciaHolbrook.com. For comments and speaking engagements, email patricia@PatriciaHolbrook.com.
