Do you know anyone suffering from loneliness? Statistically, nearly 75 percent of all Americans report moderate-to-high levels of loneliness. The U.S. Surgeon General has stated we have an “epidemic of loneliness” and it is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes day. This loneliness is not only leading to poor health conditions, but also costing employers an estimated $154 billion annually in absences and $6.7 billion annually in excess Medicare spending. All this sounds prolific and problematic, but there is hope.

It is sad for me as a pastor to hear how some in the church go to the mat regarding their own beliefs and conscience convictions about issues of liberty in their life (e.g., practices that Scripture does not directly prohibit such as drinking alcohol, political views, education of children, music choices, insurance, use of TV, marijuana, etc.). What is sad and even tragic to me is to see how certain liberty convictions are justified and appear to be held stronger than the essential and clearly stated doctrines of the faith.

It’s election season (in case you haven’t noticed—haha), and the local, state, and national marketing campaigns (about candidates, initiatives, tax measures, etc.) are at full throttle (television, social media, digital and print ads, yard signs, newspapers, town halls, rallies, etc.), and they are using every conceivable tactic you can imagine (attack ads, fear mongering, opposition research, character assassination, spreading lies, dog whistles, guilt by association, polarizing wedge issues, strategic timing of scandalous revelations, the echo chamber effect, manipulating sound bites, astroturfing, etc.) to make a final plea for your vote.

Last year, the Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on loneliness as being one of the top health threats to Americans' health and well-being (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation). The advisory noted that the impact of social isolation on mortality is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness not only increased the risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke, and premature death, but it is very expensive (accounting for more than $6.7 billion in excess Medicare spending annually).

This last week I listened to a mini inspirational speech on the "Importance of Nothing" by Nick Saban, sportscaster, analyst, and former and future hall of fame football coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Here is what he said:

This note might come across as a little different or perhaps even a bit weird from me, so hang in there until the end.

This last Saturday, I had the privilege of speaking to 44 Young Adults from Living Hope Bible Church (Issaquah) at their weekend retreat. I met their pastor, Joe Lum during COVID and we encouraged each other and exchanged ideas with other pastors about how our churches were navigating the onerous COVID restrictions.