Dear friends,
I keep hearing (and I know I’m not alone) that these are ‘unprecedented’ times. Humans have never seen anything like this, we’re told.
While, yes, it’s true that few of us have experienced anything like this in our lifetime, a few flips through the Bible will tell you that catastrophe, suffering and despair – for many reasons, though certainly disease – are part of humankind.
For some reason, I find that incredibly comforting.
Believing in God has gotten me through some tough times. It’s what got me through the throes of early motherhood, and what will get me through this pandemic: God is love. And God’s love is like a warm embrace, there when you need it, and no amount of social distancing can keep us away from it.
Like so many of you, we’ve spent the last couple months adjusting our life at a moment’s notice: changing the way we work, play, socialize, go to church, care for others, and parent — just to name a few.
One of the biggest changes that we’ve encountered is a need to step away from Love First.
This was a very difficult decision for us and something we’ve prayerfully considered for a long while, but especially in quarantine. Even so, we believe this might just be best for a community that is full of loving, caring, creative and engaged people like all of you.
In the coming weeks, we will be opening our website to all of our resources, including story boards, lesson plans, and anything else that is currently in our shop. They will be available for free.
While this might seem like Love First is coming to an end, we firmly believe that this is a new beginning. You have been showing me your creative interpretations and adaptations of my work since I created Love First in 2016. You’ve fine-tuned, adjusted, and improved upon what I’ve made so that it’s tailor-made for your communities. You all have embraced the Love First principle that your gifts are all you need.
I believe that’s true for the Love First community, too. You all are incredibly gifted, and together you have an infinite amount of gifts. So continue to create, and continue to share what you make, knowing there is someone else in our community who might need something just like it. Our Facebook group will continue to be a place where you can learn from one another’s creativity, inspiration, and wonderful, loving gifts!
Thank you all for your love and support! We love you all!
Blessings,
Colette and Matt
P.S. In the next few days and weeks, we will be in touch with ways that you can stay connected to our community. Despite our stepping away, there are many, many people who are continuing to do important work, and we look forward to sharing it with all of you.