Summer 2020

Glory to God, summer is in full swing in the great state of Texas! Beautiful crepe myrtles line the streets of my neighborhood and fragrant flowers are blooming everywhere you go in Fort Worth. Mother nature is on full display! Being able to get out and smell the roses is such a treat these days! Thank God that a pandemic cannot quarantine mother nature!

When the shelter in place order first lifted, it was a great blessing to be able to get out of the house, smell the fresh air and enjoy wide open spaces. The grace was lifting for just going to the grocery store and making a few other essential stops along the way. 

Since the pandemic started in March, one thing is for sure–we have all had ample time to pause and reflect upon our lives, our families, our livelihoods, our relationships and where we are in life. I have asked the Lord many questions about what is going on in the world and about my life personally over the past few months. 

Questions like: 

  • Heavenly Father, where are you in my life right now? 
  • Lord, what would you have me to do? 
  • Lord, what lessons are you wanting to teach me right now? 

My answer to this last question is what I will be expounding upon in this newsletter. As you are reading along, I encourage you to reflect upon the lessons you are learning as well. Perhaps they are similar to mine. 

One big lesson I am learning has to do with re-evaluating my priorities . I remember telling a friend just recently that the little things in my life have become the big things and many of the big things have become little things. Now more than ever, I am learning to better appreciate and recognize these little things and blessings from Papa God as they happen in real time. This shift in my priorities and perspective is causing me to be more present in the now and to live more in the moment instead of always waiting for some future event that is seemingly going to make me happy.


Nowadays, something as simple and unassuming as enjoying a beautiful sunrise or sunset brings great comfort and joy to my heart. Much like a serene sunrise, I am looking for what brings life to my heart and what fuels me opposed to just the opposite. I am letting go of what drains me, what takes life out of me, things that I have no grace for, things that are too complicated, and things that are burdensome or too heavy for me to carry. 

Matthew 11:28-30 TPT…Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me, I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gently, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.


Each morning around 5am, some of the leadership of the John Maxwell team live stream the early morning sun rising from Jupiter Island, Florida. Every day we have team members from all over the world connecting and saying good morning to each other via social media as we listen to the soft waves of the Atlantic Ocean and watch the sun rise together from the safety and comfort of our homes. Kudos to whomever thought of this simple yet powerful way to connect because I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience.  


Some things that I thought were so terribly important to me have lost their luster and appeal and I find myself totally unimpressed with the things of this world. During this pandemic, something as simple yet as majestic as a sun rising in the morning is more life giving to me than listening to someone rant and rave on national TV or social media. 


However, what is extremely important to me right now is my relationship with Father God . Over the years He has become my all and all. There are times in life when it is just you and God and believe me from personal experience, He will always be there for you and He will always come through for you—exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond. 

Psalm 46:10 TPT…” Surrender your anxiety! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God.”


Ephesians 3:17 TPT…then by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life. Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!


I am learning that when I keep my focus on Him and when I keep my priorities God centered, this present day turmoil that is going on in the world cannot steal my joy, my peace or my faith resolve.When I stop looking at what is not right with the world, then I am able to clearly see any problem or challenge through my Father’s eyes, knowing in my heart of hearts that everything is going to be alright. 

This scripture comes to mind: Psalm 131 TPT…Lord, my heart is meek before you. I don’t consider myself better than others. I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head—such as your complex mysteries and wonders, that I’m not yet ready to understand. I am humbled and quieted in your presence. Like a contented child who rests on its mother’s lap. I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you. O people of God, your time has come to quietly trust, waiting upon the Lord now and forever.


Psalm 131 talks about quiet trust which to me simply means having faith in God. I cannot overstate the importance of using your faith during this pandemic. If we are going to overcome this invisible enemy, we cannot abdicate our spiritual authority to someone else. 

Your faith in God is a spiritual weapon against Coronavirus! 
By faith, you can rise above any challenge that this pandemic brought into your life and receive everything you need from El Shaddai–the God of more than enough. If you are not putting a demand on your faith, eventually hope deferred, fear, apathy or indifference will set in and choke out the Word of God from the inside of you.


Other negative emotions that we must guard against are hopelessness, hate and fear. They will contaminate and negate your faith. The good news is that you have a choice in the matter. You can choose faith over fear and love over hate. This leads me to another powerful lesson that I am learning through this pandemic— My faith is essential in taking authority over Coronavirus or anything else that is coming at me from the pit of hell and not from God!


We have heard so much in the news lately about what is essential and what is not essential. Certain states have deemed the church as non-essential and limited its right to assemble. Here is what is important to know–whether you are in a church building or not, your faith is essential to God and no law in the land can take that away from you. Speaking of faith, I believe that the best gift that we can give ourselves and our families in 2020 is to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) and to call those things which are not as though they were according to Romans 4:17.
Staying strong in faith requires that we spend time in the Word of God. When you stay in the Word of God, you build yourself up on your most holy faith and you become more confident in God and your faith automatically grows stronger and stronger. 


Listen to faith teachings. Pray. Fast. Intercede. Confess the Word over yourself. Basically, do whatever it takes to let the Word of God grow bigger inside of you than any problem that tries to attack you from the outside. Do not allow anything from the devil to get past our shield of faith. That includes COVID-19! That includes hate and fear! That includes pain and lack! That includes sickness and disease!


In closing, there are many opinions out there as to what is going on in the world right now. Some are saying that this is definitely the end times and Jesus is coming soon. Others are saying that this is the beginning of a Great Spiritual Awakening. Some say that the pandemic is God’s judgment on America. 


No matter what you believe to be true, the one thing that we can be sure of and count on, throughout all of this, is the faithfulness of God. He is with us in all that we are going through. He has not forgotten America or His people—His remnant—His bride–His beloved church! 

Revelation 19:7 NIV…”Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready .”


The bible says that He is faithful, and His mercies are new every morning.
Lamentations 3: 21-23…This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.


Like a good Father, the Lord wants to carry you and tenderly care for you through this pandemic. We can cast all of our cares, worries and fears upon Him and let the Lord do the heavy lifting. 

Isaiah 46:3-4 NLT…”I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime–until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.”


1 Peter 5:7 AMP…casting all your cares (all your anxieties, all your worries and all your concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares about you (with deepest affection and watches over you carefully).

He is our rock, strengthener and stabilizer in times of uncertainly, turmoil and change. We can look to Him as our protector and our Source in and for all things.

King David said it best in the book of Psalms: Psalm 18:2 KJV…The Lord is my rock , and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 


I encourage you to cling to Him in faith like never before and receive the grace you need for your life. 

Hebrews 4:15 TPT…So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be true. For we have a magnificent King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty. He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.


This year of 2020 has brought with it many lessons to learn and many challenges to face but there is still so much more to learn and so many more blessings to receive from Father God. Let the Lord Father you through this pandemic. Give Him permission to be a Father to you. With His help, you can successfully navigate through this pandemic. Actually, God wants you to thrive and grow in this season like never before. He is bigger than coronavirus! God is bigger than this present economy and He has millions of ways to get a blessing to you! 


My heart bears witness with the Holy Spirit that we most certainly will come out of this pandemic, better and not bitter—blessed and not cursed—stronger and more in love with the Father than ever before. Until next time, we are praying for you and believing the best for you! Remember that God is good and He works all things together for your good!

Keeping the Faith,

Doris Bell Lang