Your Voice

Visitation limits in times of medical crisis ‘cruel’

By Pastor Bryan Taunton
ChristPoint Community Church, Sylacauga

Imagine your aged mother becoming ill and being rushed to a hospital. Upon arrival, you are told that you cannot go back and be with her. She has a history of mental illness and dementia, and you fear she may not be able to effectively communicate her medical history. She has no advocate.

The ER is so busy that effective communication with the family cannot be at the top of their priority list. You are left stunned with frustration, many questions and very few answers.

Then she, your only living parent, still dealing with numerous other issues, has a heart attack and is moved into ICU. The unit is on lockdown, and your parent awakens alone and confused.

This horrific scenario is the very one my family has endured.

Due to mandates put in place to slow the curve of COVID-19 across our nation, thousands of people have not been allowed access to sick, hurting and, in some cases, dying loved ones.

Since starting a petition to change such policies, I’ve received numerous comments, calls and messages from people who have been forced to endure similar and worse situations: from a father barred from being with his 2-year-old child while he bled out in his mother’s arms, to a husband having a heart attack, spending many days in ICU and finally leaving this life without his wife beside him.

It’s not the hospitals or the medical personnel who are to blame but the system. In many aspects, they are also victims.

Obviously, we need to take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but it must be in a manner that is humane and does not take away our civil liberties.

This practice of not allowing people to be with family in times of extreme illness, especially when COVID-19 is not involved, is a cruel and inhumane practice. A person has the right to have a family advocate by his or her side during times of sickness and injury, and a child deserves both parents by his or her side.

To find out more about our petition, visit our Facebook Page at GoAPFA. Together we can make a difference.

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In a culture where mainstream media continues to face an identity crisis and competition from expert bloggers and TV and podcast show hosts, Southern Baptist media outlets have the opportunity to offer our communities a model for living by the highest of journalistic standards, while also striving for excellence in the craft in general and shining for Jesus in the process.

It truly is possible to report straightforward facts, be fair in the presentation and trust people to handle the information responsibly.

We hope that engaging with The Alabama Baptist and TAB Media offers a glimpse of hope and reminders of how much good really is happening amid the chaos.

Our goal is to offer accurate and fair reporting of news and information, helpful resources for surviving life’s difficult circumstances and hope-filled encouragement and inspiration along the journey.

We love sharing the stories of God’s people doing God’s work in Alabama, across the nation and around the world.

We pray your time spent with TAB is calming, peaceful and fulfilling — and that it prompts you to shine for Jesus, share His love and demonstrate the amazing grace He modeled for us.

Jennifer Davis Rash
TAB Media President and Editor-in-Chief

How many of you are familiar with the children’s book by Judith Viorst titled, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”?

As the back cover of the book explains, “Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair. And it got worse … His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV!”

Do you feel like you’re stuck in a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” … after day … after day? This year’s pandemic,  combined with national unrest and possibly daily, personal crises, have left many of us discouraged and disheartened.

How can we as believers maintain our faith in such difficult days? Think about this one word: “Whatever.” That’s right: “Whatever.” In Philippians 4:6–7, the Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to “be anxious for nothing” and to pray “with thanksgiving” about everything. In return, he promises the incomparable peace of God.

He then immediately launched into his practical “whatever” advice. He wrote, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

As Christian leader Daniel Darling said recently, “Don’t catechize calamity.” Instead, focus on the blessings of life and the goodness, compassion and sovereignty of God; think about “anything worthy of praise.”

We can still be realists about what is going on in our world, in our communities, even in our homes, but the reality of the crisis at hand doesn’t have to consume our every thought. Instead, we can follow Scripture’s advice and purposefully focus our hearts and minds on goodness. As we do so, God’s peace will still our troubled souls.

Margaret Colson
TAB special assignments editor

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Letters to the Editor

A couple of TAB issues have caused me to have negative responses. Leaders like some who have been quoted in TAB need to quit trying to put the onus on white people and put it on themselves to change. Very few first responders are racist.

It was with great pleasure I read the July 9 issue. It was very uplifting. In particular were the articles on page 5, “What Would Jesus Do?” by Danny Cotton, and on page 6, the feature on Lindsey Wood and “Bows that Bless.”

It was also comforting to know a dozen state AGs are “in support of America’s law enforcement personnel.” I wonder where the other 38 are.

Tony Berry
Foley, Ala.

Thanks for not spinning traditional wheels at this time of the year (editorial in the Back to Campus issue, July 30).

Rather, you placed some practical and personal pitches on the field which reflects your common concern for touching lives in a most thoughtful way. Your closing paragraph also clued readers in on the nature of this edition and delivered as promised.

Your words flow with such smoothness and kindness. Even in the past when you have shared some challenging ideas, fraught with convictions, your love and compassion have shone brightly in chosen words to convey what needs to be said — and heard.

Morris Murray Jr.
Jasper, Ala.

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“We ought to be concerned … But don’t let your concerns consume you.”

Pastor Adron Robinson
Hillcrest Baptist Church, Country Club Hills, Illinois

“You never lose by being nice. It seldom costs anything. Except a little time, thought and energy.”

—Dr. Ben Carson
Retired neurosurgeon
U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

In this new normal, how much of what you’re doing is impacting your faith and spiritual growth positively? Or negatively?

For parents, these weeks of uninterrupted family time can be an excellent opportunity to grow as the chief disciplers of your children. And for churches, this is an ideal time to train parents how to do that.

There are a variety of ways to institute [training] for parents right now. We have the technology and the time, and an opportunity we couldn’t have anticipated.

Let’s not neglect discipleship now, even though our methods and our questions will be different. As Christians, let’s commit to steward our time for His glory. As leaders, let’s help the people we lead use this time to grow closer to Jesus.

—Excerpt from the Illinois Baptist newspaper, article by Jack Lucas, director of leadership development for Illinois Baptist State Association

The most important man a boy needs in middle school and high school is his father. … Here’s what the church decided to do: Bright idea — let’s take middle school and high school boys, quarantine them from their dads and men their dad’s age and expect them to know how to be men. And then we’ll shame them when they go to college because they play video games too much. … So dads, go get your sons. Go grab them! They need you more than any other man in their lives.

Excerpt from video by Anthony B. Bradley in his Twitter feed
@drantbradley

Whether rich or poor, whatever nationality or language, people just need someone to love them. It is said that no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. The truth in this is amazing.

Jeff Bush
Missions.tips

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From the Twitterverse

@garyfenton07
We learn to listen to others before we learn to listen to God. When we deliberately ignore the words of all others and listen only to ourselves, we will ignore God as well.

@DerwinLGray
In unprecedented times, we need unprecedented kindness.
In a chaotic culture, we need peacemakers.
In hostile times, we need merciful people.

@richardblackaby
Watching the news makes me grateful God left us a Bible to base our lives on and not a panel of “experts.”

@TinaBoesch
In this moment of crisis, there’s a tendency for the church to turn inward. … But God often used crises to humble His people back into faithful relationship, to remind them of the distinctiveness of His kingdom, or even to send His people out. …

@ricklance
During this unprecedented pandemic and all the other challenges we face, Alabama Baptists have continued to be faithful in giving through the (Cooperative Program). This is making a world of difference!

@AshleyUnzicker
“Whatever your worries are, let your worship become greater!”

@revandyfrazier
“If you ask, ‘Why is this happening?’ no light may come, but if you ask, ‘How am I to glorify God now?’ there will always be an answer.” — J.I. Packer

@SpurgeonMBTS
“Grace is as a fire in the soul, and he that hath much of it, so as to become an advanced Christian, cannot but have a heart boiling with earnestness.” — Charles Spurgeon

@desiringGod
Seven lessons for productivity: 1. Know why you are here. 2. Embrace your role as a sub-creator. 3. Distinguish between sloth and rest. 4. Make peace with imperfection. 5. Act promptly. 6. Chop a little each day. 7. Get excited for what’s ahead.

@JohnCMaxwell
Leadership is like swimming. It can’t be learned by reading about it. It takes practice!