Heather Cofer

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4 Things I’m Learning from the Coronavirus

15 Apr

I’m now into my sixth week on quarantine (due to getting sick the week before it officially started in the US). And, like I’ve seen many people expressing, this season has been quite a growing one. It’s amazing how staying at home and simplifying life can be so refining. But God can use anything to make us more like Him, can’t He? 

I thought I’d share four things I’ve been re-learning from the coronavirus – or rather, that God is teaching me through this extended social distancing. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it should give a pretty good glimpse into the tenor of my spiritual schooling these days. 

1. Rest is a Gift

I don’t know if it’s the culture we live in or my own personal bent or a mix of both (or something else entirely), but I too often struggle with resting appropriately. I love being productive, and this too often trumps my very real need for rest. Or, I relish the quiet of late nights and miss out on rest when it’s readily available. But this season has been a reminder that rest is such a gift. And when it’s used well, it makes productivity even more productive. There hasn’t just been physical rest, but there’s also been mental rest, as outside responsibilities have been put on hold. It’s helped remind me just how important God’s “work-and-rest” patterns truly are. 

In this world of constant opportunities, we can become overwhelmed and exhausted even by good things. But sometimes we need to take Jesus’ words to His disciples after an intense time of serving to heart, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). That word ‘desolate’ means: 

(of a place) deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness. (Oxford Dictionary)

In a sense, that’s a pretty good description of what many of us are walking through with this social distancing. The Lord can use this desolate season to bring refreshment to our minds, hearts, and bodies. 

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)

2. The world ultimately needs JEsus, not me

Naturally, I’m a “yes” woman. I truly love helping others, but I can also say yes to things because of wrong motives at times. I want to be seen as capable, helpful, and dependable. And that means I sometimes take responsibilities upon myself that I should say no to, because “If I don’t do it, who will?” This leaves me feeling burdened, frazzled, and discouraged. 

But God has so graciously been convicting my heart afresh of this tendency and the pride that lies beneath it. This world doesn’t ultimately need me, they need Jesus. If I am trying to take responsibility into my own hands that God is not giving me, I am going to hurt things more than help them. 

Yes, when He gives me a job to do, I want to do it well and with joy, even if it requires sacrifice. But in times when I can’t meet the needs of others (like right now when my range of practical help is very limited), I can trust that the Lord will provide for all they need, just like He is doing for me. It takes control out of my hands and places it in His… which is a very good thing. 

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)

3. Simple is Good

I’ve found there to be such a sweetness in the simplicity of these days. Sure, my days are still full (I’m home most of the time with four little ones even when life is “normal”), but there isn’t a sense of rushing around from one thing to the next. I’ve been enjoying adding extra sparkle to the bathrooms, baking banana bread for fun, and dusting because I want to. I’ve been lingering outside a bit longer, snuggling with my kiddos a little more, and praying more intentionally. This extreme simplifying will end, but it’s been a very healthy reset in a “go, go, go” world. I know life will return to a faster pace again, but I hope to hold on to some of this right and good simplicity that allows me to savor the God-given beauty of life.

“[Wisdom’s] ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” (Proverbs 3:17)

4. Serving “Just” My Family is Worthwhile

We love hospitality. We enjoy being with people and having them in our home. And it’s fun to do special things when we have guests over. But this time of not being able to host others has reminded me what a gift it is to serve “just” my family. I don’t have to wait to go the extra mile until others come over. There is no one who will have a greater opportunity to serve my family than I will, and I never want them to feel better served by others because of my actions or attitude when it’s only them around. I want them to know that it’s a privilege to serve them regardless of whether others are joining us. I’ve loved seeing the delight on my kiddos’ faces when they see the little baked surprise, or Judah’s excitement over a freshly-mopped floor (yes, he loves that kind of thing). 

Yes, I always want to serve well when others come into our home and for our children to learn the joy of serving others. But I want my family to know that they are so very loved and worth serving in Jesus’ Name.

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)


I’m the first to admit I will be so thankful when life can return to normal. But in the meanwhile, I don’t want to miss what God has to teach me in the midst of this global pandemic. It’s not every day we get to experience His grace through circumstances such as these. These days are not wasted. And He is faithful, faithful, faithful.

Your friend,

If this post was encouraging to you, would you consider sharing it with others? Many thanks!

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My middle-little sister, Holly, has spent the past My middle-little sister, Holly, has spent the past 6+ months in our house fam. There’s a 7 year age difference between us, so when I got married she was just entering her teen years. She lived across the world from me for a good part of the next decade, so when she decided to move up our way for a while I was thrilled. Spending hours of up-close, in-person time together has been a precious gift. Having siblings that become some of your dearest friends is, I’m discovering, one of the greatest joys of adulthood.

Now she’s off to the next chapter. I know God’s going to continue to use her to bless others in significant ways, just as she’s blessed us—this servant-hearted, joy-filled sister of mine. I’m so grateful for you, @holly_sprenger.
As I watch the happenings in this world I have an As I watch the happenings in this world I have an ever-increasing ache—a yearning—to be known first and foremost by my allegiance to Jesus Christ.

As I read headlines, hot takes, opinions, debates between fellow believers—praying and seeking to learn and discern—I’m more certain than ever that being a Christian frees us from being defined by or confined to earthly labels in our stances on any given issue. We’re free to champion what God champions, to despise what God despises regardless of how it might be viewed by those around us or what political lines it might cross. We’re free to love those who differ from us, and yes, even free to love those who do us wrong. 

I have strong opinions and thoughts about certain issues—no doubt about it. I disagree with certain thoughts or opinions fellow believers hold. But what I want those brothers and sisters to know about me *first* is that I love them, not how I might disagree with them. Yes, there’s a place to discuss, to sharpen one another, to exhort and encourage, to warn and even to rebuke at times when we see fellow believers straying from Christ. But the world is supposed to know us by our love for each other, not our debates and conflicts. This should temper the “what,” “how,” and “when” of every conversation. 

Some of us are called to stand more publicly against certain evils and injustices than others. We should expect the best of those who aren’t doing or saying exactly what we’re doing or saying (*especially* if we’re defining them by their lack of words on social media. There are faithful Christians who will never say a word about current issues online, but are obeying in word and deed in their in-person spheres). That said, this should *never* be used as an excuse to neglect the actions and words that every Christ-follower must be marked by according to Scripture. And when we find ourselves hesitating to obey any of God’s commands due to another allegiance something needs to change.

Lord, may your people be defined not by causes, but by Christ; not by worldly labels, but by you alone.
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#lookingtoJesus #thegospelchangeseverything #Christcenteredwomanhood
I’ve been thinking about my little fuchsia plant I’ve been thinking about my little fuchsia plant the past few days. I snipped and propagated it from a stunning outdoor hanging plant we had a couple years ago after it scorched in the intense CO sun. After weeks of daily watching I finally saw the roots appear, and replanted it. Fuchsia is special to me, because it’s one of the plants that beautified our windowsills in Mongolia throughout our years there. I love having one in our home.

Recently, though, did a little trimming of this plant. I noticed there were a couple of overly flourishing sprigs; they were so long they were keeping the little plant from filling out. So, as much as I hated to do it, I clipped them off. To my delight, brand new leaves began appearing within days all over the plant.

Why has this been on my mind?  Because it reminded me that sometimes—in order for us to flourish—we need to clip back areas in our lives that are zapping growth. It’s often a painful decision, because they’re usually pastimes or vocations we love. But we know in order to direct time and energy toward our God-given priorities we need to do a little clipping of those gangly offshoots. Although we feel bare for a time, it doesn’t take long for the evidence of growth and life to show itself where it was much needed. 

And guess what? Those clipped offshoots are sitting in a jar in the kitchen, waiting to sprout new roots. They aren’t gone forever, just being prepped to produce life rather than zap it. Sometimes branches do need to be clipped and tossed. Other times they just need to be propagated—waiting for new roots to grow so they can grow and flourish at the right time in the right way.

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2
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#lookingtoJesus #plants #Christcenteredwomanhood #fuchsia #ponderings #lessonseverywhere
//Well, it’s all an adventure That comes with a //Well, it’s all an adventure
That comes with a breathtaking view
Walking a tightrope
With you//

The incredible @frostedphotographer took some headshots for us, and she said, “Do you want to snap a few together?” Yes, please. 😍😍😍

Forever thankful for the gift of a life adventure with this man.
//Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, Su //Summer and winter and
springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their
courses above,
Join with all nature in 
manifold witness
to Thy great faithfulness,
mercy, and love//
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#greatisthyfaithfulness #lookingtoJesus #springtime
“Being like Jesus” will never contradict the r “Being like Jesus” will never contradict the rest of Scripture.

Several times as of late I’ve read or heard examples of people using stories of Jesus from the gospels to back up an argument about accepting sin of some kind. They say that if His followers are going to be like Him they need to follow His example—His example by their interpretation, that is.

But the narratives told of Jesus in the Gospels will *never* contradict the specific commands Christ-followers are given in the rest of the New Testament. Jesus never justified a sin we’re commanded to repent of. A sinful attitude never laced His words, no matter how matter-of-fact His rebukes were. Jesus is the Word made flesh. He will never go against His character or commands for His people.

We can be hard-line on sin while being gentle and kind. We can show compassion without compromising truth. We can be loving while holding fast to biblical convictions. We can, and we must.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Changing Him in any way for our own gain—whether that’s for fleshly gratification or out of fear of others—is making a Jesus in our image. This is a Jesus who cannot save. 

But we have a Jesus who *can* save, who needs no re-making. May we, by His grace, be ever-conforming to Him.
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#lookingtoJesus #Christcenteredwomanhood #Christcenteredliving #truth #love #Jesusislife
“Only God Himself fully appreciates the influenc “Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.” 
-Billy Graham

I know without a doubt this is true of my mom. This side of heaven I’ll have no idea what depths her godly influence and faithfulness has had upon me as a wife, mom, and woman in any sphere. I will never forget her telling us, “I’m so thankful I get to spend my days with you.” To have the assurance we were loved and enjoyed on top of all she did for our physical needs was a priceless gift. And, as I prepared to enter into adulthood she not only mentored me, but invited me into friendship with her. There aren’t words to sum up that kind of honor.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Thank you for being willing to love and follow Jesus in whatever He’s asked of you. There is nothing greater you could’ve given to us. I love you.
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