The past month, we have been to Oregon, Washington, and now California. All through this journey we have been followed by the fires raging through the west coast (don’t worry! We were not in any immediate danger). Acouple days after leaving Oregon, our hosts were forced to evacuate their house due to the approaching fires. The smoke blocked out the sun and made the middle of the day look darker than 1am during a new moon. The sky turned different shades of yellow and orange and finally red as if Hell had made its way to Earth. The winds shifted and the fires never reached their house, but has still left thousands without homes and virtually destitute.
While being hundreds of miles away from the fires, we had poisonous air quality throughout our stay in Washington. We watched day after day as more and more smoke rested on our campground. What would’ve been a perfectly sunny day, turned into a dark and gloomy day. Towards the end of our time in Washington, every day appeared to be riddled with storm clouds, when in reality there were no clouds and the smoke had blocked out the sky.
After Washington, we stayed in San Francisco area. We were shocked to see blue sky’s after spending two long days driving out of our way to avoid the fires, but riddled with smoke nonetheless. About a week later, we left for Southern California. About three days later, our hosts texted us asking for prayer as their area was advised to evacuate due to the approaching fires. Take what you will with all this, but the reality of the matter is that these fires are real and affecting thousands and thousands of Americans.
Along with the fires, we worked in Portland for awhile which can be seen as arguably the darkest and most spiritually empty city in the country! If it wasn’t for all the broken and shut down stores, it appears to be nothing too crazy during the day, but mimics a warzone at night. One of our nights in California, we witnessed a BLM protest make its way through our neighborhood. While the message was harmless, the people were prepared with various kinds of weapons and defensive gear. Eventually shots were fired.
To accompany all of this we have the overlooking fear of Covid ever present in our country. A fear that has caused people to be willing to use violent force to ensure people are wearing masks. Reports and videos of people being tased and arrested or detained for the simple fact of not wearing a mask. We all have out own opinions of what should be done when it comes to the masks and the virus, but this is the level of fear that has been instilled in our country. People are willing to treat eachother as criminals at the drop of a hat due to the fear associated with this virus.
This is the state of our nation. All of these stories originate from the west coast, but do not be fooled in thinking that it is behavior secluded to this part of the country. These things have brought businesses to standstills, hospitals are overwhelmed, and stumped scientists for practically an entire year. With all our scientific advances, with all our economic potential, with all our intellectual prowess, STILL the global superpower, America, is on its knees. We have a currency that claims we trust in God when in reality it is “offensive” to talk about Him at school, work, restaurants, and the dinner table. We trust in man more than the God that created the very universe with nothing but a breath, and we can see exactly where that has gotten us. We act like a country at war while we are in peace times. I’m not speaking end times or the destruction of the US. Look to God and truly trust Him over all these constructs we have created over Him.
