Last month in Training Tracks we explored how to respond to the piles of cancellations and reduction in “productivity” so many were experiencing. And just like that, our inboxes, Facebook newsfeeds and Zoom accounts began lighting up with new opportunities and ways to maximize all this (supposed) downtime we are having during the COVID-19 crisis. I know from talking to several of you that the amount of information and opportunities for learning, growth, and development have started to feel overwhelming and exhausting. You can take Harvard classes for free, log in to a webinar on just about any topic, or enroll in that training event you have been trying to fit into your schedule. But it can all start to feel like too much.

If we have all this supposed downtime, why are so many of us so tired? One of the most insightful articles I read about this comes from Dr. Curt Thompson. “We are dirt, and we are breath; we are embodied and we are spirited. Take either one away and we stop being fully human. And what we are experiencing is the act of living disembodied lives.”
Do you feel that disembodiment? There are many good suggestions in his article for trying to reduce this strain. Going outside and taking walks if possible, standing, taking time to worship (out loud!), and even taking time to list the things that are bringing you anger and frustration. See Lynn's blog post (more below) for how to lament these things.

In addition to some of these things, consider a technology fast. Get your information from a newspaper or a real book. Nicholas Carr reminds us in The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains that “the Net’s interactivity gives us powerful new tools for finding information, expressing ourselves, and conversing with others. It also turns us into lab rats constantly pressing levers to get tiny pellets of social or intellectual nourishment.” Leave those levers alone for a while.

And remember-it isn't a season for the “comparative suffering Olympics.” Your “hard” is hard and your response to your situation is deeply personal between you and your Father.

Last month, we highlighted a blog post about the ”wilderness as a classroom“ from a few years ago. Today, we want to draw your attention to another blog post about the value of wilderness experiences. This one is simply entitled ”Crucibles.“ A crucible can be defined as a difficult test or challenge or a place or situation that forces people to change or make difficult decisions. COVID-19 can be a crucible for both SEND and each of us individually. If you are thinking that the COVID-19 crisis is significantly increasing the stress level in your life, re-read this blog post. Ken wrote a whole series of blog posts on this topic and you can find them at this link.

Bobby Clinton, in his well-known work ”The Making of a Leader“ talks about “isolation” as being one of the three tests that leaders go through in the Life Maturing stage. Robert Thomas in ”Crucibles of Leadership“ says that a common crucible we encounter is a period of suspension (when life and work are unexpectedly disrupted by some external force for a period of time). Isolation and suspension sound like what most of us are going through right now!

But as the blog posts point out, our response to the crucible experiences of life and ministry is what allows the crucible to become transformative! Read more to find out how we can make the most of the situation in which we find ourselves today.

Join SEND's own Dr. Gary Ridley for this online course (from May 4-15) that will help you learn how to walk in faith, not fear as you navigate this unprecedented season of life. This course approaches crisis through a pastoral response that we hope will encourage you and give you tools to encourage others. The course will take about 10 hours of your time over 12 days, and all the participants will be from SEND. The cost is only $25. You do not have to be online at a particular time of day. You can sign up at this link.

Lynn Karidis published another great article about Contentment this week, talking about the biblical way to complain (to lament). If you are being tempted to complain about the restrictions of Stay-At-Home, maybe this article will be helpful.

As Warren reminded us in one of his recent Connecting Points “God welcomes the full range of our emotions.” If you find yourself responding in ways that are confusing to you, please take time to rest, journal and give some focused attention to your emotional wellness. We have recently added several new resources to our Emotional Wellness page on the SEND U wiki.

Are you using Zoom for ministry or personal calls? Would you like to know more about how to address the security issues that have been highlighted in the news recently? SEND's new IT department (Solertiae) has put together several IT alerts about Zoom and the latest version can be found on SharePoint at this link.