It was the middle of the pandemic. Everything was still. No sports. No noise. No plans.

Just uncertainty. And the sound of my own thoughts.

That Sunday, I tuned into my church’s livestream. An adjustment from being inside the church.
Being in the presence of other people. Feeling the power of being around family. Friends. Community.

Livestream couldn’t do it. But it had to do—for now.

Pastor Ron opened his message with a question that hit harder than I expected:

“Now what?”

Not what if, not why this, but: Now what?

A question that felt less like a challenge, and more like an invitation.

He began preaching from Proverbs. Not just for spiritual nourishment, but for practical wisdom. Because, as he reminded us, the Bible isn’t only about eternity and the future, it’s a manual for this life now. 

And then he said something that hasn’t left me since:

“Defining moments often come right on the back of a crisis.”

That stopped me.

We don’t always get to choose our storms. But we do choose how we rebuild.

I took a beat. 

I began to see what he meant. God may be the architect—but He’s equipped us to be the builder.

That truth struck a chord with me, especially as someone who’s spent a lot of life waiting.
Waiting for the right time. Waiting for certainty. Waiting until I felt more ready, more confident, more qualified.

But the longer you wait, the harder it gets to move.

And maybe, just maybe, movement is the actual answer to that question.

Because Pastor Ron wasn’t preaching comfort. He was preaching responsibility. Wisdom.
Action.

He talked about choosing your name over your money, because you can always make more money—but you can’t buy back your character.

He reminded us that wisdom leads to prosperity, not the other way around. That prosperity isn’t just about finances. It’s about the health of your soul, and living in the will of God. 

And maybe the part that stuck with me the most was:

“What worked in your last season might not work in this one.”

That hit close to home. It's a wake up call. An uncomfortable feeling when you realize that you may have to do things differently this time around. New seasons require new perspectives. New seasons will either require more of you, or less of you.

 Pastor Ron made it clear. We can't go back. We have to move forward.

Somewhere in those 40 minutes, something inside me shifted.

That quiet question, “Now what?”—became a louder answer.

No, it didn’t fix everything. But it reframed everything.

It set the tone for how I move through different seasons of my life now. With more intention.
More trust. More peace. 

Funny how adversity can be a blessing in disguise. It rarely feels like it in the moment.But sometimes, it’s the only thing strong enough to shake us awake to remind us of who we need and how He’s been there all along.