At times I feel as a passenger in a runaway train. Actually, I feel like that most of the time, even while doing the mundane tasks like getting groceries, trying to call my doctor’s office, or watch TV.

It leaves me to wonder if others see it the same way. Especially when the cash register reads $85, as they hold one purchased bag of groceries. Or when told that it would take months to see the specialist. And how about when they sit down in front of their flat screen and watch the mess in Ottawa unfold.

Driving through cottage country, it is obvious by the number of For Sale signs, that the impact of high interest rates is felt. How many can keep up with the now doubled line of credit payments? How many thank their lucky starts for having an actual mortgage signed before the interest hike, and secretly hope that when the renewal date comes the rates will me more friendly.

Seniors are experiencing profound loneliness, as the world speeds by. Many are left struggling to meet their monthly financial obligations, as their fixed income fails to respond to inflation. Thousands are forced to re-enter the work force, rely on their families for support, or become regulars in food banks.

They are left behind by the rapid switch-over to on-line platforms, be it banking, medical appointments, or government services. How embarrassed and lost countless seniors feel, unable to keep up with the fast-paced apps and ever evolving devices.

And our young generation? The age range of adolescence is now 10-25. The scientists cite such data as staying at the parental home, finishing education, and marrying later in life. Not sure how much adult children feel being grouped in with ten-year-olds, given their level of frustration caused by working with teenagers. You got to love our scientists.

Social media obsessed, gender confused, battling mental health issues – I feel for our young people. Perhaps instead of added litter boxes to high school bathrooms, they need to hear that they are loved. This world of confused priorities, re-written histories, censorship, and hidden agendas lacks the fundamental notion of common sense. Without direction, people perish.

Yet, there is hope – always. The now almost cliché saying: “This is no surprise to God,” holds strong and true. We are chosen for such a time as this. Our Creator is smarter than AI, and He is definitely not afraid of it. And since we are His sons and daughters, we don’t need to fear – any of this. For He is good, always had been and always will.

Love is a gift. In the world that doesn’t believe in free lunches, that seems like an impossibility. But if we look past the everyday mess of what is served up to us by our society, and truly seek to connect with other believers, we will find love.

I was blown away a few days ago by my new friend, I will call her Maria, who rearranged her day in order to spend time with me – in deep conversation and prayer. I’m blessed with a group of creative friends able to meet a few times a year for short getaways – writing, discussion and prayer. My apps deliver uplifting podcasts to my phone on daily basis – and my barn becomes a sanctuary – to work, listen and pray.

Yes, it is true that every generation since Christ felt as is they lived in the last days. Perhaps, on personal level they did live in their last days, struggling to understand the way the world around them worked, for it still rarely makes sense.

Jesus came offering salvation to all, and we know where His life ended. But and there is a big but in this story, God wasn’t surprised by that either. Jesus didn’t stay in the grave. The death and sin was defeated. And unlike Jesus, it stayed that way.

We look around and wonder. Yet, the truth never changes. It can’t be altered by a shift in pronouns, renamed by replacing a street sign, or renounced by removing a sculpture from a public park. We own our history. Jesus Christ was there at the beginning of everything, then He gave everything for humanity, and now He holds everything in His hands, including us.

When I wake up in the middle of the night, as my mind works overtime, sifting through the daily input, I purposefully arrest my thoughts. It’s not an easy discipline, and doesn’t always work, but I’m getting better. As my brain brings forth a jumble of problems to solve, I purposefully think a simple phrase: Thank you. It may seem super simplistic, but gratefulness unlocks blessings and solutions.

Maria told me to wake up as a five-year-old, with excitement and joy, and hand the day over to God right there and then. I’m still working on that. Inviting God into my day seems such obvious thing to do, but hey, how many of us do actually consciously do that? Try it. It amazes me how this simple act of invitation decreases my level of anxiety and busyness. I still get my stuff done, but I don’t feel that constant pressure in my chest, telling me that no matter what I do the mountain is still too high.

And there is the other thing Maria mentioned. It’s called listening to God. So, I have been a believer for some 35 years, and this shouldn’t be new to me, but honestly, try it. I think it’s a discipline that comes with practice. That gentle voice, or call it a thought, that you know is not exactly yours, needs our attention. God is willing, and always there – are we? And perhaps by slightly changing our daily habits, and consciously creating a stronger connection with our Creator, we can find the strength to speak out. To seek out those who are suffering and lost. To tell them that there is another way to live. God is in control, and we are in for a ride. Let’s strike a conversation with the other passengers and give them some of what we have freely received – His love. For He is Love, and Love never fails.

About the author...
Helena Smrcek, a journalist, author, and screenplay writer, believes in the power of a well-told story. Her readers can expect a captivating page-turner, filled with thrilling suspense, and heartwarming romance.

She started in publishing as a high school student, freelancing for Mississauga News. Her journalism carrier took off in 1999. Within three years Helena accumulated over 100 by-lines and interviewed Ann Graham Lotz, Carol Lewis, Cec Murphey, Kelita, and others. Her stories, many of them covers, have been published in Canada, the USA, Bermuda, New Zealand, and Australia. In 2002 she accepted a position at Listen Up TV, a current affairs program.

Helena became a founding member of Write!Canada, and The Word Guild, a Canadian national association of writers and editors. She is a graduate of Jerry Jenkin’s Craftsman Class, Act One, Donald Maass’ Fire in Fiction, Writer’s Police Academy, and several mentoring programs.

She regularly attends writers’ conferences and is a past or current member of such organizations as Word Weavers, American Christian Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime, Toast Masters International, Boni, The Writer’s Guild, and others. Helena loves to participate in NaNoWriMo and hosts a writers’ group.

As an entrepreneur, she is familiar with marketing, branding, and social media. She has volunteered with YMCA, mentoring new Canadians pursuing their business dreams, and was an active member of her local Chamber of Commerce.

When not at her keyboard, Helena loves listening to audiobooks, working on her hobby farm, and traveling. She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, three Vizslas, several cats, a herd of goats, and an undisclosed number of chickens.

For more about Helena, click HERE