SoCal Resident Stays Optimistic Despite Testing Positive for COVID-19

Colleen Myers said she is among the San Bernardino County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, and she wants to help others who might go through the same ordeal.

Myers, a 56-year-old from Running Springs, reports otherwise minimal health issues. As of Friday evening, she is 1 of 9 reported cases of COVID-19 in San Bernardino County according to the Department of Public Health.

Upon the notification of her lab results from the CDC on Tuesday, Myers created a video and posted it on Facebook.

“I wanted to tell you how helpful it’s been to me to be a believer of Jesus Christ and going through this with him during these last few days,” Myers said on her Facebook video. “I trust in Jesus Christ for my salvation, I trust God is in control of the situation, but I am human, and I don’t trust God 100% of the time. So yes, I have had worry, I have had fear. I have been anxious. But during those times, I have been doing what God has shown me to do in the Bible.”

Before going in for the test, Myers said she had been sick for over a week with a low-grade fever and dry cough. Meyers reports she did not have all of the symptoms that have been listed but quarantined herself and encourages others to ‘follow the rules given by the CDC.’

“I think it’s super important that we stop this virus from spreading. This is not a small deal—this is a big deal for people that have health issues and for the elderly.”

During the three days of waiting for her test results, Myers took comfort in scriptures from Psalm 61 and 139. She has since created another video on Facebook to report how she is doing and encourage the importance of following the guidelines given for the coronavirus. She also included a message to ‘her favorite age group’, Millennials and Gen Zers, to follow the guidelines, including social distancing.

Myers is the PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect) Life Ministries Operations Director and Chaplain. According to Mountain News, Myers co-founded PLUR Life Ministries in 2009 with her husband Rob. Myers started PLUR after landing a job with Rim Family Services as a Drug Prevention Specialist. She said God used the experience of treating addicts to change her heart. PLUR has since expanded to four states, California, Florida, Nevada and Texas.

“I have the hope of heaven, so no matter what happens to me on this earth — it can be coronavirus, it could be cancer, whatever it is — I know where I’m going,” said Myers. “Am I afraid to die? Uh-huh, I’m afraid of the process, but I’m not afraid of the death itself because I have salvation through Jesus Christ.”

In 2019, Meyers published Smack Dab: Living at the Center of God’s Will. The book, available on Amazon, tells ‘her own story as a recovering judgmental church lady, and how God broke her heart for what breaks His and how He led her to share the gospel with hurting kids.’ Discussion questions geared towards groups are included. The book touts to give readers ‘the tools you need to embrace evangelism and discipleship and go on the greatest adventure of all.’

Myers’s faith in God has inspired her to start PLUR, publish a book, and maintain optimism with her recent coronavirus diagnosis.

“If you do get diagnosed with this or your loved ones do, don’t go through this experience without a relationship with Jesus. I can’t imagine going through this right now without knowing who he is, and knowing who he says I am.”