Stay Calm

A myriad of tragic events are happening all around us. I live in Michigan where a deranged person plowed his truck into a Mormon church and opened fire on innocent men, women, and children. It was a tragic day and sadly, not uncommon in our world. I remember going to Columbine, Colorado for a leadership conference shortly after than massacre. It was unsettling driving around that campus. That was 25 years ago and the senseless, merciless, violence has not ceased. Our nation is at a crossroads and the only remedy is that God's peace and love must fill the hearts of mankind.

We must remain calm during these chaotic times and not allow our sanity to be violated nor our peace to be disrupted. I know this is a difficult ask for many, but if we give into the plots and schemes to divide and conquer, we will suffer greatly and our hope will be lost. How can we remain calm during such times of uncertainty? Here are three ways to remained at peace.

1. Make peace a priority. Peace is within, not without. You carry your peace with you. Be purposed and determined that no one will steal your peace, love, or joy, no matter what. Do not let the emptiness of people drive you to become cold and without compassion.

2. Do not engage is meaningless conversations. You do not have to respond to every matter presented to you. Being silent does not mean you don't care. Silence is strength under control. People need you to be silent so your voice can be heard. We need stability and consistency from leadership. Refuse to give time and energy to conversations that are petty and without substance.

3. Let love be your light. We witness hatred, bias, and prejudice daily. Purpose to love people, even if you disagree. Our disagreements are not important. Living in peace and harmony should be our daily priority. Demonstrate empathy, sympathy, and compassion when needed. Think about others more than yourself. Help. Be there, even if it's from a distance.

Things are not going to get better on the outside, but we can manage our emotions on the inside and eliminate these tragic occurrences. We need each other. We will not win against evil operating in independence. We can stand and fight, but we must stay calm to win.