I would like to encourage you to use your time wisely as you “shelter in place” so allow me to plant a few ideas for us all here.

Call 5 different people from your contact list every day and let them know you are thinking about them and praying for them.

Hand-write some letters and stick them in the mail the old-fashioned way. I remembered the other day that both of our daughters said that when they were away at college that everyone they knew loved getting letters from people they knew.

I would wager that there are people who would love to get a letter written with your hand from you.

Set aside time every day to read, turn off the TV, media and other distractions and immerse yourself in the pursuit of new knowledge.

Go outside and listen for a moment, hear the sounds around you. For some, this is the first time in your life when there have been only the sounds of nature around you.

Spend time each day thinking about the good things in your life, the people you love and the people who love you.

I know that this is a challenging and uncertain time, but I also know that some of the best times in my life have come from the most challenging moments. As my Dad would always say to me in the midst of struggle “this too shall pass.”

My prayer for all of us is that we come out on the other side stronger and closer to the ones we love. As I have told our Church, “Stay safe and stay connected.”

[George Dillard is the pastor of Peachtree City Christian Church (ptc3.com).]