Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, March 20, 2020.

United Way of North Central Mississippi has created an online resource where members of our community can submit suggestions on how to help our neighbors severely impacted by the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

Here is a suggestion from Dr. Debra Lindsey Prince on how to help our senior citizens. https://bit.ly/391Z9q4

Is this something you'd like to see happen or volunteer to help with? If so, please click the link to upvote this suggestion. Or, feel free to suggest an idea of your own.

United Way volunteers will use this information to identify and prioritize needs and then reach out to involve the appropriate parties from our government, schools, non-profits and faith-based community partners to organize a coordinated response.

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

We are fortunate to live in a community with so many people eager to lend a helping hand. Now more than ever, it's important to coordinate our efforts to reduce redundancy, maximize resources and deliver services efficiently and in a manner that does not put those we serve, our staff and volunteers at greater risk.

United Way of North Central Mississippi has created an online hub where people can report needs they've identified and suggest ways to help our neighbors in need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We've included a dedicated section on the website to post questions. These questions will be reviewed by a team of volunteers that will compile a list of the most commonly asked questions and work with our State, County and City representatives to provide current and accurate information.

We are also working with our non-profits, churches and civic organization to organize a coordinated response to needs identified in our community.

To submit an identified need, to make a suggestion on ways to assist neighbors in need or to ask a question, please visit the United Way COVID-19 Response Website below:
http://bit.ly/UnitedWayCOVID-19Response

To volunteer as a moderator, sign-up at the link below:
http://bit.ly/UWNCMS-COVID-Volunteer

#StrongNeighbor #LiveUnited

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Those of you who are saying, "But most will survive this" miss the point.

I attended a meeting this morning with a briefing from the Director of Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency, Kristen Campanella. She commented that many of the deaths that occurred in Italy were mostly due to the medical system being overwhelmed.

Coronavirus COVID-19 spreads rapidly. The real risk is people presenting symptoms (or people who are just afraid that they've been exposed) trying to all go to the doctor at once. If that happens, those that really need treatment are hindered and many could die from things completely unrelated to coronavirus. If the system breaks down there won't be much help for anybody, for anything. That is the point.

So, let's give the system a chance by limiting unnecessary interactions with people, staying home wherever possible, slowing the spread of the disease and thereby reducing the demands placed on our medical professionals.

We'll get through this and fare much better as a community if we:
1. Remain calm.
2. Make good decisions based on good information.
3. Be considerate of each other.

I love you and am praying the best for every one of you.

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Is our reaction to the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 faith or fear?

The goal of fear is to prevent (pain, suffering or death). The goal of faith is to produce (well-being, productivity and life).

A defining characteristic of worry and fear is that it hinders productivity -the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Are you preventing or producing? If you want to know whether you're operating under faith or fear, look at the fruit -or the lack thereof.

[SOURCES:]
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Luke 8:14
14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Matthew 7:16-20
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.