“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8
Living with joy and purpose over the last year has not been the easy road. Personally, I had to remind myself almost daily to live in gratitude and hope. From pandemic, to election, to new rules and social cues, everyone had a different way of thinking and believing. So many found it easier to argue over finding understanding and it was difficult for me to see this negativity around me. I fully believe in standing in my truth, but if the stories of Jesus and His teachings have taught me anything, it is to see people where they are, help the poor, feed the hungry, and love all.
When I found myself down and out about the world around me, I would try to remember the life of Christ. Remind myself to think about my blessing and be a helping hand instead of another loud voice. I was so encouraged throughout this last year by our church family. The church saw the needs and found ways to help. Our food ministry jumped up to the occasion to feed the hungry in our community with numbers rising each week. Funds were donated to help those in financial distress due to the pandemic. Innovation was rising to find ways to connect as a church in a safe way. I was truly humbled to see it all in action as a staff member.
When the church shut down in March of 2020 due to the pandemic, I was only about 8 months into my role as the Edmond Campus Youth Director. How on earth was I going to be a Youth Director without any students in the building? How was I going to know that all my students were doing okay and coping during this wild time? Amy and I were going to have to think about youth ministry in a totally different way.
I soon realized that we were not in this alone. The staff of St. Luke’s came together quickly, and we got to work in our area of ministry, all while helping each other out. It was an incredible time of unity and trust. Our Communications Team stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park with connecting all of us to the church family we love so much. Leadership encouraged and trusted in the innovation we had to have to live in these times. Going from in-person to completely virtual was a big hill to climb, but we did it while helping each other up along the way. I look down the mountain now and I cannot help but be amazed at all God did in this past year. Ministries growing, new technology connecting us to members across the map and around the world, and a church family who kept the faith. The climb is not always easy, but my goodness, the view is amazing from the top.
– Sarah Cohea, Director of Youth Ministry, Edmond Campus
