Jeremy:
How do you handle having so much of the family at home? What are we going to do economically? So Jeff and I want to talk through some ideas for you guys in the next few episodes. This one is, does a crisis bring your family together or drive it apart? So there’s a lot of things to worry about, obviously, in this season, you guys. But one of the things that you want to make sure that you’re doing is investing in your team in such a way that, as people get worried, as the crisis mounts, there are certain ways to design a group of people that crises will drive them together, and there are certain ways to design a group of people that the crisis will drive them apart.

So an example, you guys, is that in a team environment, we all know the goal; we’re all going for it. Then when we face another team, or a major obstacle, it tends to drive us together. However, if you’re part of a group and everyone is sort of bonded as an individual, only for what… They’re only in the group for what they can get out of it, crises tend to drive them apart. And unfortunately, you guys, many people today, their families are really designed to really be driven apart by a crisis.

So I want to give you guys three really quick things you can start to do right away that will help you begin that process of bringing your family together like a team. So they are: Process together, pray together, and plan together. What you want to do is have a regular time with your family where you’re processing what’s going on; how are you guys feeling? Understand that emotions are going to fluctuate all over the map. There’s points in which kids are like, “Oh, this is weird and different,” and other points where they may hear news that kind of freak them out but they haven’t told you about it. Process that stuff together; have a rhythm, maybe in the evening where you guys can just hang out, talk. Again, bring your family together. Pray together; really think and see what those needs are, and begin to pray as a team for those things. And then plan. Is there projects, are there things, whether it’s cooking together… You have to think through, what are the things that you can do as a family that will help you to experience and really face this crisis as a team, together? So I really encourage you guys to think about those; process together, pray together, plan together. But Jeff, what are your thoughts about how to-?

Jeff:
Yeah, the only one thing I would say… I was thinking of this picture when you were talking. A crisis or trial, tribulation, [inaudible 00:02:41], right there. He might show up anytime now, in this moment; feels pertinent. But any trial or hardship, that’s a better language for it, reveals whether you’re a collection of individuals or a team. So also let it… Don’t feel bad about this, but let it kind of speak to what it is, and then make changes. What I mean by that is, a team… Because they do polar opposite things. If a team has team DNA, then when things get hard, they rally, they help, they serve. But if it’s a collection of individuals, when things get hard, that turns into hunger games. No, seriously, that’s literally…

The picture we see out in culture right now, and you even see this… If you see America as a team, even at some level, you’re trying to say, “Hey neighbor, how can I help you?” And if you’re a collection of individuals, then you’re trying to steal everyone’s toilet paper in aisle seven. That is the meta-picture, the macro-picture, of what also is happening in a lot of families. So let that speak; what are the impulses that are coming out right now? And also know that this is a really good time for stepping back and pointing yourself towards the team. You’re not like, “Oh, we’re a bunch of individuals; we’re helpless.” No, it’s like, “Oh, okay. This is revealing; now let’s point it in this direction.” And we have a ton of tools and resources, if that feels like you, to hopefully come alongside and serve you in that. But that’s what I would say.