Interview with Allison Hicks
So, what do you do when you don’t know what to do? When life throws a curve ball, which it always seems to do at one time or another, we do have a choice. We have the choice to yield to an enduring despair, or we can figure out how to move forward.
Allison Hicks, a high school honor graduate, experienced many losses in her senior year. Covid-19 had its way in her personal world as it did in the lives of untold millions of people. She writes: “In the craziness of Covid-19, it was impossible to make plans that had a good possibility of being carried out. … I began to let go of all expectations since everything was constantly changing ….”
So in these times of “craziness,” how do we live out each day with any kind of peace? In Hebrews 13:5, we learn a foundational promise from God. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That’s an enormous truth to hang your hat on if you are a Believer, isn’t it? Drill down, and you end up with this truth from Psalm 46:1-2: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” Do we live like we believe this? Or do we feel like we are abandoned by our Creator to deal with our losses alone?
During Covid-19, it seemed everything was cancelled. Used to a supportive cluster of friends, family, pastors and teachers, she couldn’t even meet with them. Allison was cut off. What? No Sunday morning and Wednesday night events? She said, “Biblical community is so important for spiritual growth.” That is a loss. A big loss.
Allison also had plans — good plans. All cancelled. She was going on a mission trip to Mexico this summer. She had also planned to attend a conference with speaker/author Jackie Hill Perry. So, how did Allison find her compass in this time? She discovered something many adults sometimes don’t grasp in their dark times. Allison says, “The only thing I could do was let go and put my trust in God. He is a consistency in an ever-changing world. His peace is not found anywhere else.” Such wisdom, Allison.
As 2 Corinthians 12:9 so clearly states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” We don’t always have the courage or strength for the challenges before us, just as the disciples truly expressed their fear in the storm-tossed boat. But, as Allison so aptly put it, “I have learned a lot more about trust. I’ve learned that I have to surrender control in order to truly experience the peace of God. If I try to maintain control over my life, I will never experience the plan that God has for me.”
May we all learn and grow in faith so we might become brilliant lights in our dark world, sharing our hope in Jesus Christ in all seasons. Thank you, Allison Hicks, for sharing the lessons God has been teaching you as you learn to walk closely with him, no matter where the road leads.