The vaccine won’t work. This will. I’m speaking, of course, of the shot, the medical vaccine.
“Tony,” you say, “what are you talking about?”
I thought COVID would be in the rear view mirror by now. But I swear, it’s nowhere close to going away anytime soon. As I write this (on vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida … woo-hoo!), my understanding is that Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi is adopting even more stringent measures in response to the pandemic.
IT IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON US. I can tell by the nature of social media posts that folks are on edge, angry, scared, frustrated, you name it.
I’d remind us all that God is in total control, and that He’s orchestrating all we are experiencing to His glory. How do you discern His hand? How can we prevail and grow in these days?
I know there is a lot of hope placed in the vaccine. Maybe you’ll get it when it comes available. Maybe not. That’s not where I’m going.
I have something better than a vaccine to share. Actually, it is a vaccine of sorts, because it’s going to keep you from getting any sicker (and I’m not talking about the virus itself.) The vaccine won’t work – well, it may keep you from contracting COVID. This is better. Different, anyway.
It’s time to put COVID behind us once and for all, regardless of what medicine and proper health practices can do. You can experience healing of mind, soul, and emotions. The vaccine won’t work for that.
Some weeks ago I offered an online course titled COVID Crusher – 5 Days to Reducing the Mental and Emotional Toll of COVID.
Many people took advantage of that offer, and feedback has been very encouraging.
My intent was for that particular course to have a limited shelf life, because the pandemic was going to be over sooner than later, right?
Uh, no. If anything, it’s bearing down worse than ever. We’ve moved from “I don’t know anyone who’s gotten it” to “I know lots of folks who’ve gotten it.” And if you say you don’t know anyone – well, you know me. I’ve already spoken at length about my experience. Even after having tested negative a few days ago, I still feel perfectly wretched every day after lunch. I keep thinking my stamina will improve, and all I hear and read says it will. It’s just not happened to me yet. I want to think I feel a little better.
At any rate, this is not about the actual virus. It’s about what the virus causes among “healthy” people – people who aren’t infected with COVID, but are dealing with the “collateral damage” from it.
That’s virtually everyone. I know that your life has been impacted. I won’t presume to assume how you’re managing it, but it’s a reality for all of us.
If you are one of those blessed few individuals who is temperamentally able to just roll with it, you are fortunate indeed. If you are one of those who has been able to remain physically healthy but are experiencing some real emotional and mental stress because of it, join the club.
And, if you listen, see, or read the news, your frustration level may be going through the roof, and that frustration in many people expresses itself in unhealthy ways. Mean, spiteful, hurtful ways. I mean … if I’d ever heard prior to COVID there being something like “mask shaming,” I would have just laughed out loud.
Well, pilgrim, if you think mask shaming is a thing, just wait until we all experience vaccine shaming. That’s coming. You can bank on it. It’ll be divisive like masks never was.
How you gonna handle that?
In response to that, I’ve made my COVID Crusher course available again. It’s actually part of a four-course suite that goes way beyond just the pandemic.
It might be that you see my course offering and say, “Well, Tony, gee. I am managing COVID just fine, thank you very much. What else you got? Why should I bother coughing up $33 for something that isn’t of any value to me?”
Let me explain my rationale … and my vaccine.
- The course itself addresses much more than just COVID. While COVID is what got me started thinking, I wanted to make sure that the principles I taught went beyond the virus. I’m deeply concerned about what the pandemic is doing to so many of us.
- I wanted to produce a product with “legs” – something that would be of value long after the pandemic is over. Because – there are other crises ahead of you and me. I want us to be able to rise above the storms that will come.
- My desire was to provide practical content – it’s a distillation of what I’ve learned and am learning about having hope when hopelessness is all around.
- Finally, if you are persuaded this is not anything you can benefit from, fair enough. However, I’ll just bet you know people – friends, family, others – who would greatly benefit from this. Or, it might just be you can equip yourself to be that lightbringer to someone else, sharing what you’ve learned.
To that end, I’ve re-released the course. It’s on a different platform than I originally released it on (and that’s more of an in-house thing for me than anything else.) You’ll find it very accessible and user-friendly.
The vaccine won’t work for what I’m talking about. Besides, right now it looks like there are plenty of folks who have no intention of getting it.
Here, then, are my action points:
I’ve put together a new Facebook page just for my course offerings. COVID Crusher is part of a four-offering suite. It’s called Transformational Encouragement Academy.
Here it is:
Second, the actual learning center is at https://transformationalencouragement.podia.com. I really like the look of this site, and I believe it will be a real lighthouse to folks struggling in darkness in years to come.
Finally, there is this blog – the one you’re reading.
Check it all out. But, in your personal quest to be an encourager, I’d be honored if you’d share these links with your friends and family, especially those that would benefit from it. You could consider gifting a scholarship to any of them. Remember – the vaccine won’t work. Not for mental and emotional stress.
I don’t know what more I can do to reveal my heart. I’m just so so grieved as I watch people virtually crumble before me, descending into meanness and judgement. Look at how we’re treating people who don’t see things as we do.
That needs to stop.
Let me help.
Be blessed.