How is COVID-19 impacting you?

Bruce Dunning
Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,163
edited November 2024 in English Forum

As we are all in this worldwide crisis, I've been wondering how it has been impacting Logos users. Here are some of the questions that have been on my mind.

  1. Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?
  2. Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?
  3. Do you now have more time for study and reading?
  4. Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

Personally, I am now required to work from home as our office is deemed as a non-essential service. As our income will also be reduced purchasing more books is less likely. I've been more intentional about trying to use this time as an opportunity to look for ways to practically encourage others. A word aptly spoken can bring healing to those who hear.

May the Lord give us all wisdom in these challenging times.

Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God

Comments

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,579 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lucky, here. Our little town is inherently socially-distanced (hiking, biking, etc) and the oldies a high percent (me, and seniors on edge). The cost here is the businesses, and low-end workers. And the seniors, that really, really need social support. So, we're purposely spending in the businesses, contracting house-repairs, and chatting up the seniors ... special shopping days are a great opportunity.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Mike Tourangeau
    Mike Tourangeau Member Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭

    I would appreciate your prayers. My son (16 years) left for South Africa on a missions trip shortly before this blew up. We have been working on getting him home but it turned out the original flight (today) was the safest with no layovers in Europe. 

    So we are awaiting his return to Toronto airport and then we as a family will be in isolation for 2 weeks. It will be good to have him home, pray that no body on the team has any symptoms or there is no flight home! 

  • May the Lord give us all wisdom in these challenging times.

    Praying for God's Grace & Peace to be abundant (including safe travels & family fellowships) along with hearts turning to God when worldly distractions are distanced. Likewise praying what to do & say while remembering Proverbs 3:5-8 (with many daily prayers for lots of people while being cognizant of my age placing me at higher risk for sickness so staying at home is prudent).

    Social distancing is providing the opportunity for many to experience lockdown separation, which happens inside prison (some have had no contact with their families for years). Yet a number inside Thank God for time to get closer to God. Prison ministry is spiritually rich. Praying for this virus to be kept out of prisons where social distancing is impossible (by design prisons have dense population housing).

    While remembering some sports have tradition of growing facial hair, am allowing a goatee to grow so my hand touching chin feels a bit different (pray reminder for many locked down).

    March Madness provided opportunity for my wallet to cry [:'(] some (while Thankful for Faithlife customer service retroactively processing 2020 Connect coupon).

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Lynden O. Williams
    Lynden O. Williams MVP Posts: 9,020

    1. Yes I am working from home. Usually spend the day in the office.

    2. No. I have been scaling back on purchases for some time.

    3. Not sure. Done more reading today. More relaxed and rested.

    4. Trying to keep in touch with my members using WhatsApp, phone and Microsoft Teams.

    Mission: To serve God as He desires.

  • Simon’s Brother
    Simon’s Brother Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for asking Bruce.

    1. Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?

    Yes, first week of now working from home now. VPN to access work network and then remote desktop into my desktop tower at work as it has licensed analytics software on it for which the license is tied to the deskop so I could not install it on the small desktop i brought home and a Citrix connection to the ERP software we use, and then Microsoft Teams for meetings, chat etc. Even did some collaboration with someone yesterday where they shared their desktop on teams and i was able to take control of it to assist them with some spreadsheet issues. All seems to be going smoothly.  

    2. Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?

    Definitely having an impact - basically none moving forward.  The threat of a full lockdown in Australia looms which will potentially put me out of work for the period of the lock-down. 

    3. Do you now have more time for study and reading?

    While I continue to have employment the answer is no but if we go into a full lockdown then the answer would change to yes. While more time for study and reading in isolation sounds attractive having it but no income is not appealing so I hope my answer does not become Yes, but ultimately my hope is in Christ and i know there is more to life than this life we now live, as significant as it is to each of us in the here and now, i wait in hope for the life that is to come in the not yet.

    Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

    While I still have work time is obviously limited to do any more than normal so just really trying to stay in touch with people, checking in regularly with those most significant to me, and reaching out to those who may not be as significant but I know their situations well enough to know they might need a bit of encouragement and also to some for whom life has got in the way of us staying in contact - reminding them they are thought of still even its been a while since we engaged. 

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,927 ✭✭✭

    Business as usual for me as a bi-vocational preacher.  Thank God in my job we are considered essential to stay open during this pandemic.  For church related stuff, I’ve always worked from home.  Purchasing wise, I only get what I can afford, so no real impact.  I still spend the same amount of time studying.  I reach out with phone calls and social media.  People meet in their houses during this quarantine times and I do a lesson via internet.

    We’re still praying for this thing to go away!

    DAL

  • Daniel Bender
    Daniel Bender Member Posts: 90 ✭✭

    " rel="nofollow">Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :) said:

    while being cognizant of my age placing me at higher risk for sickness so staying at home is prudent

    I always enjoy your helpful, thoughtful posts and assumed you were a young person wise beyond your years. Thank you for your positive outlook and your focus on Jesus.

    Blessings,

    Daniel Bender

  • Daniel Bender
    Daniel Bender Member Posts: 90 ✭✭

    1. Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?                                                                                                                I am working a little more from my office at a retirement center. I serve as a pastor of a small church and as a chaplain at a retirement complex (we have duplexes, apartments, assisted living, and a nursing home). With covid 19 the homes are closed to visitors but my job is considered essential. I do a lot of one on one visits seeking to encourage the residents and staff (of course wearing PPE). One new thing is that I give a short daily devotional and pray over our PA system. The visiting keeps me quite busy and it is tiring work.

    2. Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?                                                                                                                           I am a long time Logos user and have a large library so am not purchasing as much as I have in years past. This was the first year that I have not purchased anything from March Madness, mainly because I already own many of the items on sale.

    3-4. Do you now have more time for study and reading? Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?          I haven't had more time for reading or study as my chaplain's schedule is now much busier. Our church is not technologically up to speed but we are working on being able to put videos of my messages online beginning this week. I am also sending out daily emails to our entire congregation with prayer requests and suggestions on how to be of help to those around them. 

    Grace and Peace

  • Jack Caviness
    Jack Caviness MVP Posts: 13,632

    We reluctantly followed the President's advice and suspended services for 2 weeks—hopefully it will not be longer.

    Bruce Dunning said:Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?

    Since I literally live in the church, there was no change on this front. Well, the sanctuary is across the vestibule from by back door.

    Bruce Dunning said:Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?

    No. I still spend too much on FL resources [:$]

    Bruce Dunning said:Do you now have more time for study and reading?

    Yes, but I would rather be teaching and preaching.

    Bruce Dunning said:Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

     I make it a practice for me or my wife to contact each member at least once a week. Since this is a small congregation, we can do that.

  • Jonathan Bradley
    Jonathan Bradley Member Posts: 1,184 ✭✭✭

    Good evening! 

    Yes, I am working from home right now, however, I generally work more from my home office than the church one (which is right next door). We already homeschool, so all of that really hasn't made a big difference, except that my wife works at the local school, so she's home a lot more.

    No, it hasn't hurt my regular purchasing of faithlife items, because "Regular" for me is maybe once or twice a month. Sometimes less.

    No, I don't have more time. I wish I did. 

    The main way I am ministering to those around me is through phone calls and a video series I am doing daily with basic Bible study content called "Discipleship on the God". I post it to Facebook, Twitter, I email it out, and text it out to everyone. 

    -Jon 

    Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC

  • Jerimiah Keller
    Jerimiah Keller Member Posts: 4 ✭✭

    Same here, we now have to stay home and we can only go out to buy basic necessities. 

    ..

  • Jerimiah Keller
    Jerimiah Keller Member Posts: 4 ✭✭

    We now too have to stay home and we can only go out to buy basic necessities. 

    ..

  • Jerimiah Keller
    Jerimiah Keller Member Posts: 4 ✭✭

    We now too have to stay home and we can only go out to buy basic necessities. Stay home and be safe everyone.

    ..

  • Genghis
    Genghis Member Posts: 58 ✭✭

    Hi Bruce

    Thx. Good questions 

    Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?

    No. Already working from home .

    Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?

    Yep. Revenue uncertainty over the next few months means reducing expenditure across the board.  Collapse in real estate prices poss. Unemployed over 50 will struggle to find jobs.  Ageism is alive and well .

    Do you now have more time for study and reading?

    Yes.

    Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

    Lots of calling others esp elderly and on their own just to say a few words of encouragement .

  • Barnabas
    Barnabas Member Posts: 510 ✭✭

    please pray for me. i'm one of those immune compromised people.

    John 3:17 (ESV)
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

  • EastTN
    EastTN Member Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭

    Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?

    Yes.  I'm fortunate in that I can work from home, so my income hasn't been affected.  The timing was odd, because I'm in the process of changing jobs.  Going to work for a new employer - while working remotely - is something I've never done before.  Working from home has its advantages.  (I do miss getting lunch from the food trucks downtown.)

    Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?

    Not yet.  I'm a regular purchaser, but I'm not spending more than $100 most months.

    Do you now have more time for study and reading?

    Not so far. I work with health insurance in my day job, so this is a busy time for me.

    Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

    I'm part of the leadership team for a small congregation that's having to learn how to do everything remotely.  It's very much a work in progress.

  • Steve Maling
    Steve Maling Member Posts: 737 ✭✭

    Hi, Chrisser, as an "over 80" with an "underlying condition" I'm happy to include you in my prayers[:)]

  • Michael S.
    Michael S. Member Posts: 674 ✭✭

    Hey Bruce.  I work full time as a Quality Engineer for a Honda Supplier.  We have ceased production to mirror Honda.  As a salaried employee, they had us working last week, while the hourly associates are drawing unemployment.  This coming week (tomorrow), I will work M and T, but they are requiring all salaried associates to use PTO for the remainder of the week.  Not how I want to use my time needless to say.  I dont know beyond next week.

    We have been on the Dave Ramsey plan for a year, so books are not in the budget.  I did get to add $8 to my birthday coupon and get a book I wanted.

    I am trying to fit more study in with the time off, but with the kids home it is proving to be difficult- as I have an almost 4 year old.

    As a deacon in my church I have been contacting my assigned families weekly to check on them.  Also, our pastors are putting services online to stream at the normal times... so we are all social media and digital these days.

    Take care brothers and sisters.  Let us pray for each other during this time.

    SDG

  • EastTN
    EastTN Member Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭

    Take care brothers and sisters.  Let us pray for each other during this time.

    Amen to that.

  • BillS
    BillS Member Posts: 3,805 ✭✭✭

    Here are some of the questions that have been on my mind.

    1. Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?
    2. Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?
    3. Do you now have more time for study and reading?
    4. Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

    Hi Bruce,

    1. Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?
      The governor of our state has restricted travel; only necessary trips are permitted, so I have to work from home.
    2. Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products? 
      Not really; I've been watching sales for years & only pick up niche reference volumes & commentaries.
    3. Do you now have more time for study and reading?
      Actually, less; it's taken much time to figure out virtual worship, including music, for our tiny church. I haven't figured out choir as yet, but we're still experimenting. 
    4. Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you? 
      Since we've moved into e-space for all our activities, we're extending our outreach & are trying to thrive, not just survive.

    Grace & Peace,
    Bill


    MSI GF63 8RD, I-7 8850H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GTX 1050Max
    iPhone 12 Pro Max 512Gb
    iPad 9th Gen iOS 15.6, 256GB

  • Dave Thawley
    Dave Thawley Member Posts: 621 ✭✭

    Covid-19 has destroyed my life. I lost my job a while back and the outbreak has stopped me getting a new one on. I am now broke and have zero prospect of finding work for a couple of months which may mean I lose everything. This is Gods will for me though and I am just taking every day as it comes. I have had to claim out of work benefits for the first time in my life. I am now home schooling my children because in the UK all the schools are closed. I have loads of time now to study and read and I am going to make the most of my enforced holiday. It means I can't buy new resources but I have plenty in my too read list. It feels surreal over here in lock down. Everywhere is so quite. Our church is doing on line services via Zoom though so I'm looking forward to starting that. 

    I have got to say that I feel blessed though. I have no worries. I know a lot of people are not as fortunate as me. God has taken my load. None of my family have fallen to this biological poison as yet and I now have a lot more time to study and walk into the local moorland (vegitated boggy wilderness) where I talk with my Lord as I rest my mind. 

    God bless everyone. 

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,387

    My daughter-in-law just had to deal with her first Covid-19 loss - an elderly family friend who could not tolerate the ventilator because the hospital was out of sedatives and was having problems getting them. Those on the front lines truly need our prayers to remain centered in Christ while dealing with human ineptitude.

    For myself, the effect of Covid-19 is primarily (a) hearing from all the kids more frequently and (b) having to plan meals longer in advance because of 3-day rather than 2 hour-1 day delivery. There are distinct advantages to be a bit of a recluse and a retiree.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • mab
    mab Member Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭

    I have been working from home so this is not a new thing. I absolutely hate the fact that the library next door has been closed for the duration, it's the one little oasis this bookworm relished. 

    Our congregation isn't meeting as usual so that's just a complete drag. It's family to me. I need to figure out how to properly internet post some material when I get a chance this coming week. 

    I haven't cut back on my purchases, but I am looking at them more closely before I commit. I have stuff in Logos open almost all the time now either on my iPad or laptop. 

    The mind of man is the mill of God, not to grind chaff, but wheat. Thomas Manton | Study hard, for the well is deep, and our brains are shallow. Richard Baxter

  • Simon’s Brother
    Simon’s Brother Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭


    Chrisser said:

    please pray for me. i'm one of those immune compromised people.

    You are in my prayers.

  • Simon’s Brother
    Simon’s Brother Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭


    Prayers with you and your family, that you each may continue know God's presence, love and care at this time, that he will open doors for a new employment at the right time.

  • scooter
    scooter Member Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭

    We were on the Grand Princess.  Our 15 day cruise became 13 days plus 5 days quarantine on the ship, in a holding pattern 50 miles off of San Fran.  We were air lifted to the Trenton, Ontario air base for 14 days of quarantine [hadda sign papers, all legalities jot and tittled], then fly to our home province to self-shelter for 14 more days.

    Groceries...Bro- and sis-in-law groceried our place, then drove 2 cars to the airport, ours and theirs, leaving us to drive home our own.  Beautiful people!!!

    Groceries on line are 6 days to pick up, and 10 to get delivered.  But, at least we have food.  A volunteer will deliver our groceries to our door.

    We do not have Covid, although 13 people at Trenton got it.

    I am so, so impressed with the leadership of Governor Cuomo, as he leads NYS thru this crisis.  I watch his press conference / info session daily.  I had many bosses in my working career, but never worked for a leader.

    May God bless us in these times.  May we humble ourselves before the cross!!

  • Daniel Bender
    Daniel Bender Member Posts: 90 ✭✭

    scooter said:

    I am so, so impressed with the leadership of Governor Cuomo, as he leads NYS thru this crisis.  I watch his press conference / info session daily.

    What an ordeal Scooter. So glad you came through your experience well. My wife and I live in WNY and we are also impressed with Governor Cuomo's handling of the Covid 19 pandemic. We enjoy listening to his daily updates; he makes them very personal and informative. 

    May God lead many to Hope in His Name!                                          

    Blessings

  • GaoLu
    GaoLu Member Posts: 3,547 ✭✭✭

    I returned from Asia and quarantined 14 days but seem healthy now. My son is a physician facing challenges mentioned above including extended family members with the virus and an elderly aunt who passed away as a result of it.

  • Olli-Pekka Ylisuutari
    Olli-Pekka Ylisuutari Member Posts: 269 ✭✭

    1. Are you working from home now when you used to work in an office?
    2. Has it impacting your regular purchasing of Faithlife products?
    3. Do you now have more time for study and reading?
    4. Are you thinking of creative ways to minister to hurting people around you?

    1. Yes, from home. Except for funerals, baptisms etc.

    2. Somewhat. I've been obliged to buy many video editing softwares etc., since our Church is nowadays online - mostly.

    3. No. Unfortunately, rather less time for studying and reading. Preparing messages to be used online is much harder a job than simply streaming online or live preaching at the Church. But all the studying done in Logos comes in handy, now!

    4. Trying my best. My learning curve as to digital handling has been huge during the last two weeks. Of course, we deliver food to people's doorposts who belong to the risk groups. But the youth and the teenagers are online - and I couldn't have believed myself saying this: They're complaining about it! [:S] (Who would have guessed!)

    Check out my channel with Christian music in Youtube:@olli-pekka-pappi. Latest song added on Palm Sunday, April 13th 2025: Isaiah 53, The Suffering Servant of the Lord. Have a blessed Holy Week and Easter!


  • scooter
    scooter Member Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭

    scooter said:

    I am so, so impressed with the leadership of Governor Cuomo, as he leads NYS thru this crisis.  I watch his press conference / info session daily.

    What an ordeal Scooter. So glad you came through your experience well. My wife and I live in WNY and we are also impressed with Governor Cuomo's handling of the Covid 19 pandemic. We enjoy listening to his daily updates; he makes them very personal and informative. 

    May God lead many to Hope in His Name!                                          

    Blessings

    Thanks for your concern, Daniel. May you and your family stay safe.

    Yeah, we were up 34 hours overall.  We lined up at the Oakland dock to get our temperature recorded.  We stood there 40 minutes.  Talked to the folks behind and in front of us.  The couple in front of us were quarantined on the plane; the guy grabbed my shoulders, moved me back a bit, and said...We both have to go to the back.  Then the sat behind the plastic curtain on the cargo plane with seats in its sparse hold......The couple behind us disappeared into quarantine after one day with us in the regular quarantine apparatus, segregated on a separate floor on the Trenton airforce base.

  • Mike Tourangeau
    Mike Tourangeau Member Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭

    Covid-19 has destroyed my life. I lost my job a while back and the outbreak has stopped me getting a new one on. I am now broke and have zero prospect of finding work for a couple of months which may mean I lose everything. This is Gods will for me though and I am just taking every day as it comes. I have had to claim out of work benefits for the first time in my life. I am now home schooling my children because in the UK all the schools are closed. I have loads of time now to study and read and I am going to make the most of my enforced holiday. It means I can't buy new resources but I have plenty in my too read list. It feels surreal over here in lock down. Everywhere is so quite. Our church is doing on line services via Zoom though so I'm looking forward to starting that. 

    Dave, I just prayed for you brother. Glad to see the Lord is sustaining you. 

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,163

    Thanks to all who have explained their situation. I feel for each of you who have been negatively impacted and you are in my prayers. 

    May the Lord give each of you the health, strength and wisdom you need for each day.

    Stay safe while reaching out to others.

    Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God