Vol. 22 No. 22 | June 1, 2020 

Take Heart! 

As parents, we want to protect our children and prepare them for what’s ahead if we can: 

Ok, sweetie, we’re going to the doctor. They’re going to poke you with a needle and it’ll hurt for a little while, but I’ll be right beside you. 

We’re going to a busy part of town, so stay close to me, wait for the man to turn green on the sign, and always look both ways before you cross the street.

Jesus wanted to protect his followers, as well. He was about to go to the cross, He tried to prepare them for what was shaping up to be an unprecedented time of disappointment, sadness, chaos, and confusion.  

  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV)

Jesus’s words are as true now as they were then. And He wants to comfort His followers today the same as he did those who followed him then. He knows there will be times when life will be filled with confusion and uncertainty, disappointment and sadness, hatred and prejudice, and sickness and death.   

And He wants to make sure we know that when we experience trouble or hardship, whether because of our faith or simply because we live in a fallen world, we must not give in to fear or lose hope. 

Jesus is still communicating with us today, but we have to remember to listen. Because without a clear focus on His words, our spirits will start to dwindle, and we’ll lose sight of the good and beautiful things that still remain amidst all the tragedy and chaos in the world. 

And we must take heart because He has provided us a way to have peace even in the midst of it.

 A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note 2020

Vol. 22 No. 21 | May 25, 2020

Writing during COVID has been difficult. 

While I am adjusting to and enjoying the calm and slower pace, my previous varied routine stimulated more thoughts and helped stir my imagination. Now, my mind drifts away more (and my mind is prone to wandering). 

Knowing how to choose new and refreshing words that encourage and offer hope is harder now, too. So much has been and is being said (some worthwhile, some worthless), and phrases like “We are in this together” and “We’ll get through this together” seem a bit trite at this point. 

Even writing about my writing woes seems minor compared to what so many others are coping with: those who are honoring and mourning their loved ones who died serving our country; business and church leaders wrestling to determine the safest means of reopening; families that have lost a loved one during this time and must wait weeks or months for a memorial service; doctors and nurses who continue to care for patients with limited resources and less than ideal conditions…

And yet, I write, remembering the true meaning of the phrase “labor of love.” And I do my best to remember that our struggles and suffering are temporary. And yes, we will get through this together, but only if we must keep our hearts open and eyes focused on the gifts that remain and the blessings that are to come.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV)

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note 2020

Vol. 22 No. 20 | May 18, 2020

I watched the compost truck’s huge pinchers come down, clutch the dumpster on either side, raise it above the truck, shake it a few times, and set it back down on the side of the street. Within minutes, the truck had come and gone and the trash dumpster was empty. It had taken me much longer and a lot more struggle just to roll the dumpster  from behind our fence to the curb.

As I witnessed the powerful display of mechanical strength, I thought about how foolish it would’ve been for me to run outside and tell the truck driver how heavy the load was and insist on helping him, just as would be for me to insist on doing the Lord’s work for him. 

There have been times when I’ve watched our children struggle to find their way. Even though I had prayed for them to know the Lord and let Him guide their steps, I still thought there were times when God was acting too slow and maybe needed my assistance to move things along. But every time, He would put the right people in each of my children’s paths at just the right time to accomplish far more than I could have imagined.

The truth is, I’ve thought I’ve known how to fix a situation, relationship, or person better than God more times than I’d like to recall. And every time, I’ve looked back and seen how perfectly His plan has unfolded, leaving me feeling like Job after his requested Q&A with God.

Job answered:

“I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me.

    I should never have opened my mouth!

I’ve talked too much, way too much.

    I’m ready to shut up and listen.”  (Job 40:4-5, The Message)

There is so much going on in the world right now that I wish I could explain and resolve, but I can’t. I can work to improve my circumstances and help others with the gifts and abilities I have, but I cannot do God’s work. And I don’t need to. 

He has it taken care of, and His plan will unfold infinitely better than I could have ever imagined. So, I’m ready to shut up and listen.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note 2020

Vol. 22 No. 19 | May 11, 2020

What is something that you have enjoyed about the quarantine that has surprised you?

I haven’t been surprised that the stay at home restrictions have allowed me to spend more time with my wife, accomplish more tasks around the house, reconnect with old friends, rearrange my study two or three times, and spend less time in my car. 

But I have been surprised to find myself walking down the middle of the street. 

Concrete sidewalks are hard on my ankles and knees, so I’ve always preferred walking and jogging on the asphalt. But dodging traffic can be tricky, not to mention dangerous. 

But not now. Even at peak traffic hours, our neighborhood is so quiet, I find myself strolling right down the middle of the street, lost in the music flowing through my EarPods. It’s perfect, really- so much space, no curbs to negotiate, and I’m always at least six feet away from everybody else.

On a recent stroll, I started thinking about other welcomed surprises that have come out of a tough season or hard chapter.

When I was eleven, I could think of nothing worse than my mother dying. But through the years, God has blessed me with numerous substitute mothers to fill in some of the empty space.

When I got the chickenpox as an adult in a small Ukrainian village and felt like I was going to die, I thought life couldn’t get much worse.  But I made it through in one piece and it gave me a great story to share over the years.  

When I had to have major oral surgery in my late forties, I thought it was the worst thing that could happen. Instead, my surgeon became a good friend and I had the privilege of officiating his wedding that same year.

When our church teams would grow frustrated with the business side of ministry, wondering what the point of it all was, God would always send us new people and ways to serve that refreshed our souls and restored our faith.

As I thought about all the good that has come out of unfortunate situations in my life, I was reminded of this verse: 

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

In the morning I lay my requests before you

And wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3, NIV)

As we now learn to live with whatever awaits us, may we also wait expectantly for God’s surprises. You might even find yourself being one of those surprises in the life of another. 

And by the way, I only condone walking in the middle of the street when they are deserted. And please, if by chance a vehicle does approach, please move to the side of the street.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

Vol. 22 No. 18 | May 4, 2020

Max Lucado shares the epic tale of Joseph’s life story, including his long journey of betrayal, rejection by his family, and years of waiting and isolation, reminding us,  “While we are waiting (resting in God’s care), God is working.”

A timely statement, isn’t it? While we are waiting, God is working.

We are waiting, wondering how long we will be waiting. We are waiting for things to get to whatever the next normal is going to be; to see our family and friends in person; to see if opening up the country is the right thing to do. We are waiting to find out what eating out, shopping, or going to the grocery store will be like. We are waiting to see how many more people are going to die.

We are waiting, and while we are waiting, God is working. We may not know exactly what He is doing or what the outcome of all this will be, but we know He is working. 

We can take comfort in the fact that God is working for our good. He always does. God is good, all the time, and He is working for our good. 

The suffering may continue for a while, the questions may go unanswered for a while, and the waiting will probably continue for a while, but be comforted knowing that God is working for our good all the time, and we will be taken care of. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

                                                                              (Romans 8:28-29, NIV)

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved