Finding Hope in Three Minutes a Day

Between COVID-19, financial hardships, civil strife, and general anxiety, hope might seem in short supply right now. There are times when even God might seem distant. But in truth, He hasn't gone anywhere. We just need to look for His presence with new eyes.

Finding God's presence in our daily lives - and learning to better love God and our neighbors - is at the heart of The Christophers' annual Three Minutes a Day book of stories and reflections for each day of the year. The latest edition (Volume 55) offers food for the soul, reminding readers that hope and goodness are alive and well. Consider this story.

Nurses are known for having big hearts, and that's certainly true of Lori Wood, who works at Piedmont Newnan Hospital in Coweta County, Georgia. In fact, she is largely responsible for a 27-year-old autistic man receiving the heart transplant he needed to stay alive. After being hospitalized following a fall, Jonathan Pinkard discovered he needed a heart transplant. But Pinkard had no real home, family, or support system.

As reported by the Today Show, Wood asked to become his legal guardian two days after meeting him. She said, "God places people in situations in your life, and you have the choice to do something about it. And I guess . . . for this situation there was no choice. It really wasn't anything I struggled about. He had to come home with me." Not only did Wood give Pinkard a home that allowed him to have transplant surgery, she also gave him motherly love. Pinkard says, "If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be the person I am today."

Jesus is most definitely present in the actions of Lori Wood and the selfless love she chose to show Jonathan. Sometimes we see God in the actions of those who help, while other times we must see Him in a willingness to accept help. For instance, Emily Norton felt physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Her husband Chris had been injured during a college football game and left a quadriplegic, so she took it upon herself to tend to his every need. In addition, the couple also began foster parenting a teen named Whittley.

Chris saw that Emily was overextended and even suffering from depression, so he suggested hiring someone to help take care of him and other matters around their home. But Emily refused to acknowledge she couldn't do everything herself. As a result, she kept getting worse. Then, the couple decided to start attending church again and everything changed. It was one Sunday sermon in particular that had an impact. As reported in Guideposts, "[The pastor] talked about how a really independent person going through a hard time might realize they had to depend on God."

Emily realized that described her to a tee. She hired a caretaker, and started seeing a therapist and taking medication. The fog of depression soon lifted. Emily concluded, "I realized that getting help is a strength, not a weakness. . . . I've learned to surrender the weight to God . . . and just focus on what I can do."

Each of us might need help finding God or surrendering to His will. If that's the case with you, consider buying a copy of Three Minutes a Day: Volume 55 for yourself - and even picking some up for family and friends as Christmas gifts. Who couldn't use a little food for the soul during these troubling times?

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column written by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers