Photo by Christopher Czermak on Unsplash
Hello Beautiful People,
My hubby and I have been monitoring the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus virus in Italy this past week. In celebration of our twentieth anniversary, we planned to go on holiday in late March. So in one week, we went from planning our trip and deciding what to pack, to being halted by a Level 3 travel warning. On Friday, CDC recommended reconsidering all non-essential travel, causing our tour company to cancel all trips to Italy.
The travel warning has since risen to Level 4, meaning “Do not Travel”, for the areas of northern Italy most affected by the outbreak, according to Fox News.
A 50% increase in new cases as of Sunday night has the total number of cases of 1,600 according to CNN.
I can’t lie, my hubby and I felt discouraged and bummed about not being able to take the trip. However, we will not be knocked down. We still plan to visit Italy. We are looking at rescheduling our trip for the fall once the outbreak has been contained and life has returned back to normal.
When you see an outbreak of a virus that has no vaccine at this time, fear can take hold if we let it. But we have to cast down fear and turn our focus to prayer. Now we must pray for Italy, China and the world who are also affected by the virus.
Pioneers in Europe requested prayer.
*Pray that they would be able to express peace and confidence in God’s sovereignty in the midst of these uncertain and anxious days.
*Pray that the surety of the gospel would be a bright light to worried and isolated Italians.
*Pray for the church in Italy, for resources and a movement of the Holy Spirit amongst those who don’t yet know Jesus. Only 1.5% of the Italian population professes an Evangelical Christian faith.
*Pray Psalm 91 for the Pioneers in Italy, as well as their neighbors, friends, classmates, church attendees, and all who don’t yet know Jesus:
My hubby and I pray Psalms 91 every day, a hedge of protection and traveling mercies.
Psalm 91 (NIV)
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
*Biblegateway.com
Bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com is praying for Italy, China and the rest of the world affected by the outbreak of coronavirus. We also pray that there would be freedom from fear and panic and that peace prevails in the midst of the storm. We pray for complete healing for those who have been affected by the virus and pray that God will comfort anyone who lost loved ones. We pray that a vaccine is developed and all new cases will stop.
I have listed a few scriptures to stand on against fear, if you search your bible you will find more.
1 John 4:18 (ESV)
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been in perfected love.
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Let me know if the coronavirus is on your mind and how you are praying against it.
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