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Virginia has finally moved into typical winter weather. As a young child, I remember ice was the norm for our area of Virginia, just like today. Snow was a treat and school canceled. As we look back at the weather, we see for example, yesterday it was almost 75 degrees. My neighbors spring, yellow forsythia was blooming. We have jumbled weeks of hot weather and then wintry weather. Our normal wet season has been dry. Across the land: increasing tornadoes, storms, earthquakes, consuming wildfires…it is like the earth itself is speaking to us.

Christ’s followers should consider the signs of Jesus return. They should not predict the day or hour but be alert to what God has said in His Word about His return.

Jesus promised there would be wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes in various places (Matt 24:6-7, “signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Lk 21:25-27).

Jesus said that these signs will get more intense and frequent as the day draws close. When we see increasing numbers of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes and other natural disasters, Jesus instructs, “straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk 21:28). Once again, Jesus instructs us to pay attention to the signs of His return to be ready when He comes.

Again, God says be ready when He comes! I am big on asking God to change me. Whatever your plans are for 2022: I pray we all change to be more like our Father. I pray we introduce more people, to our only Salvation, Jesus Christ. I ask God to increase our faith that we be whole. I do not mean just healthy but happy and full of uncontainable joy! I ask that we love each other, I mean genuinely love, our siblings in Christ. That we do not treat each other as distance relatives but understand that we are His children and are together for all eternity. Then the love that we have for each other will shine so bright that people will see God loves them. As Christ Followers we are blessed every minute of every day. May we pay attention and share God with everybody in every way and every day.

Yvette Perrin can be reached at theword2yvette@ gmail.com.