The Size of a Mustard Seed

A friend recently shared the following with me:  When life leads you to the edge, trust in God and let go.  One of two things will happen:  1) God will catch you or 2) He will teach you how to fly.

A favorite story from my growing up involves the fine art of roof jumping.  Roof jumping occurs in winter time when the snow is piled really high and you, well, jump off the roof.  As one can expect, parents are generally against this idea and my sister and I knew that.  But Mom and Dad were away for a few hours so my sister and I grabbed a ladder and put it against the neighbor’s house (they were away for the winter).  We piled up the snow and started up the ladder.  My sister jumped first and then I stood on the edge – for a long time!  I did finally jump but I was scared.  The snow caught me, surrounded me with icy cold softness and the adrenaline really kicked in.  Once again up the ladder and this time, with my sister in midair and me half-way up the ladder, the thundering voice of my father echoed through the houses, “What are you two doing?”  Of course the only thing two kids can say at a time like that?  “Nothing”?  Well, ‘nothing’ got us grounded for a month! 

What will you do when you get to the edge?  Will you try to walk backwards, avoiding the cliff?  Will you try to run or will you jump?  Will you try to stop yourself mid jump?  Will you scream out to God or will you totally surrender to Him and, arms outstretched, jump in absolute faith?  No one can answer that question until they are at the edge. 

I still remember the edge though.  Standing on the edge of the roof and looking down, ready to jump but not ready to jump.  Hopeful yet fearful.  Excited yet nervous.  Now as I face another edge I need to jump and I know that either God will catch me or teach me how to fly but I’m still nervous.  I’m still scared.  I’m still really not ready to jump.  But faith teaches me to jump.  Recall this scene from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

With his father groaning in the background, Indiana walks ahead, following an ancient book that gives clues to guide him through a maze of obstacles to the place where the Grail is hidden. He comes to the brink of a chasm deeper than the eye can see. There is no visible way for him to cross the chasm.

Indiana is faced with the impossible. All he sees is the sheer cliff edge and the vast gulf beneath him. Then, as he studies his guidebook, his face relaxes in realization, and he says, "It's a leap of faith."

With his father whispering, "You must believe, boy, you must believe," Indiana looks straight ahead, gathers his courage, and slowly raises one foot into the empty air in front of him.

With a thud, his foot lands on solid ground. The camera pans to show Indiana standing on a narrow rock bridge, deceptively carved to match the exact outline of the ravine beneath it.

Overcome with relief, he quickly crosses the chasm and discovers the Grail on the other side.[1]

Each day we are called to believe – have some faith – take a step of faith.  Abraham offered up his son, Noah built the ark, Moses raised his rod to part the Red Sea and Daniel walked out of the lion’s den.  Each one did it on faith. 

When one of my nephews was baptized I gave him a pin to wear on his shirt.  In the pin was a mustard seed.  I told him that God says that we need to have faith the size of a mustard seed.  He said, “I can have that much faith every day!”  Surely it is possible for all of us to have that much faith, right?  How big is a mustard seed?  It is about as big as the line beneath this letter O. 

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[1] www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2003/december

It Really Is Sufficient For All You Require

Richard J Mouw, current President of Fuller Theological Seminary, addressed students and faculty at the Festival of Beginnings in the Fall of 2009. He spoke on the following lyrics from the hymn How Firm A Foundation:

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross (garbage, useless ‘stuff’) to consume and thy gold to refine.

The words are harsh and talk about the flames of our trials.  They cannot harm us.  We feel its heat and that often times causes pain.  It can be hard to see through the heat and the smoke and it never seems to run along the side of our pathway rather right in to our path, delaying our journey and forcing us to question our current route.  God will cause those flames to burn up all those things in our life that are, simply, garbage.  The flames shall refine our gold and refine us in this journey.

Mouw says, “Life is a series of stepping in to the unknown”.  We do it every single day.  We do not know what we will meet on the road as we drive from here to there.  We do not know who we will meet or what thoughts will enter our minds and hearts throughout the day. 

On Wednesday, February 15, 2011 I did not know that I would hear that day that my mother has only a few months to live.  The words stung my heart and my eyes burned with tears.  I stepped in to another unknown and did not want to be there.  I found myself facing yet another series of flames and the fires of destruction seemed, at first, to burn through all that was good in my life instead of the garbage.  But as I looked more closely; those flames continued to burn away feelings of anger and refined, indeed enhanced even more, my love and adoration for my mother and my commitment to her.  God’s grace continues to be all-sufficient, supplying me with everything I need to face this unknown with strength, dignity and integrity.

Mouw goes on to remind us of the words of St Ignatius:  “In consolation remember desolation.  In desolation remember consolation”.  We must remember the times when God is with us; both the good and bad times.  No matter where we are on our life journey we must never lose sight of the fact that God has never lost sight of us.  Not once.  We have fallen, we have been hurt, we have cried and cursed but God has never left us.

My mother is the brightest star in my sky.  She is the person I admire the most in this world.  She has brought me comfort and shown me what love truly is.  She has taught me how to care for myself and to care for others.  She has shown me a raw faith that very few people have achieved in this life time. 

When you face the next inferno that crosses your life-path, and you will; remember to thank God and give Him the credit for sustaining you – for holding you – for supplying ALL that you require.

The Anchor Holds

When my parents committed to ‘better or for worse’ fifty years ago, I am sure they never thought they would both be ‘worse’ at the same time.  It was assumed and talked about often that one would decline from age before the other and, therefore, they would be able to care for one another.  Unfortunately, right now, that isn’t the case.  Mom is fighting to save her life and lacks the necessary energy and patience that Dad requires to keep him moving forward.  Dad is confused and not sure about what’s happening to Mom and lacks the mental strength to care for himself or for her.

Mom and Dad have a ritual every night.  It’s the type of pillow-talk that is healthy among couples and should become a ritual in all our lives.  With the lights off, the noises shut down, and listening to the rhythm of one another’s heartbeats, they face each other and talk about their day, their lives together, and their love for one another.  Dad always reassures Mom by saying, “I love you more today than I did yesterday”…and then he kisses her once on the chin, then the nose, then the forehead; and repeats that three times before sealing it with a final kiss on the lips.  It is as if, for a few moments, God grants them enough grace to by-pass all their cares, all their sorrows, all their troubles and all their pain, enough for them to remind each other that they are one, together.

The scripture tells us that God’s grace is sufficient for all our needs.  There are times I wonder if God is out of touch with reality – if He has forgotten or maybe doesn’t know all-together the stresses and demands on our lives.  I wonder if God needs a reality check.  I recently spoke to someone who said she cried to God and got mad for feeling like she’s not being heard.  I told her to keep yelling.  I think it is perfectly acceptable to show God how passionate you are about something including your pain.  Christ yelled to God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”?  Even Christ felt abandoned.  I wonder if Christ felt that His Father was out of touch with reality and failed to fully understand humanity.  Then again, that’s why Christ was sent in the first place – so that we would have an advocate, an attorney, if you will, to God the Father.

When we hire an attorney it is easy to get angry or upset when things don’t move as fast as we want them to.  An attorney friend of mine once said that attorney time and human time are different.  Attorney time is typically last-minute because they are so consumed with other people’s issues the other minutes.  Makes sense – as long as they get the job done, right?  He went on to say that he encourages his clients to be proactive.  It’s ok to call him and push him, to let him know how eager you are to settle the case and move on.  I think the same is with us and Christ.  Tell him – yell if you need to – but let him know from the depths of your very being how important your needs are and He will listen and He will supply all your needs.  In the movie, Contact, Jodie Foster’s character stands before a few powerful men and asks them for the money to help her project continue.  They say no.  And then she shows them the passion, the burning desire within her to get this done.  She revealed, through her passionate plea, the importance of this project to her very soul, her very reason for being.  She was given the money – her needs were met because she was brutally honest with the people who could make a difference. 

My partner recently asked me how it is that I am able to remain so positive all the time.  When I look at people like my parents, the answer is pretty easy.  What choice do I have?  I can wallow in self-misery, self-pity, and have a woe-is-me party, but what will that accomplish?  More depression, more sadness, more misery, and it tends to push people away.  So I CHOOSE to remain positive because the other options just are not sufficient for me.

My prayer for you is that you have no other option but to remain positive through ALL situations.  Conquer every evil that comes your way.  Stand strong in the face of adversity.

Your anchor holds fast through the angry seas.  Your anchor holds in spite of the storm.  Though your sails are torn and tattered, your anchor holds.

Drama and Trauma

How quickly do you bounce back?  Do you have people in your life who tell you that you should ‘get over it’ or ‘move on, already’?  Whether it’s because someone insulted you or something as traumatic as a loss of a loved one, the last thing you want to hear is, “move on, already”.  But those of us on the other side, those of us who have to witness you going through this trauma or drama, don’t want to deal with it so we want you to hurry up, deal with it, and move on.  It can be very emotionally draining and trying on a relationship if you are constantly re-visiting a trauma or drama.

Drama is something we want to people to ‘get over’ a lot more than trauma.  With trauma we will allow you some time, not much mind you, to heal and then move on.  With drama we tire ever so quickly of hearing the story over and over.  We are selfish creatures and if it’s not OUR trauma or OUR drama, we want people to move on.  When it belongs to us, we’ll take as much time wallowing in it as we want to and there’s nothing you can do about it.

I’m not sure that any of us can simply move on.  What people really want you to do is get over it, stop talking about, and move AWAY.  What if we just recognize that we all need to continue moving forward and allow the wounds to heal as they may?  And what if the energy required to continue moving forward WITH the drama and trauma actually comes from those around us who patiently and lovingly stick with us through all of it?

I think its ok to continue on our life journey WITH the sting on our cheek from the slap in the face.  It is ok to continue on our life journey with the knife still stuck deeply in our backs.  It is ok to continue on our life journey with the holes in our hands.  Move on?  Be careful not to say “move away, already!”  Move on – pick up - move forward – continue the forward motion, the forward momentum, of your life and allow the things you carry to eventually get easier.  

Paul had an affliction that he referred to as a thorn in his side.  There are many theories about what exactly this was.  When Ananias prayed for Paul’s eyesight to be healed perhaps it was only a partial healing, leaving Paul’s eyesight poor.  He did have others write for him and in his letter we find in Galatians he says (6:11), “see what large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand”. 

Maybe Paul had experienced the loss of someone so close to him that he was tormented with depression and anxiety.  Many of us know what an affliction that can be.

Perhaps Pauls’ affliction was something ongoing such as habitual sin, maybe sexual issues or envy or pride.  Maybe he struggles with his own identity as a person, a man, a Christian, a human.  A personal description of ‘thorn in my side’ may not be physical.  These internal struggles or habitual sins can be just as painful as a physical ailment, after all. 

I think God did not reveal Paul’s true affliction so that he could show us that he can identify with any type of ‘thorn’.  If we were actually told what it was it may dilute the authority and power behind 2 Corinthians 12:9, “my grace IS SUFFICIENT for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. 

Our drama and trauma can become a thorn in our side.  We may never completely ‘get over it’ and perhaps the point is to not get over it.  The point is to pick it up and continue your journey.  The point is to allow the experiences to make you wise.  The point is to learn from it.  The point is it is YOUR drama and YOUR trauma.  It is absolutely possible to continue moving forward with your life while processing all that has happened to you. 

The next time someone suggests to you that you need to deal with your drama or move on from your trauma, simply tell them, “you first”.  For we all have these issues that continually haunt us, that continually poke us in the side like a painful thorn.  Pick it up – carry it with pride – claim it as your own – and then show the world that you can continue the forward momentum that God started in you. 

Creating God, you are a mercy-filled God, always granting mercy and grace to us who do not deserve it.  Forgive us when the pain someone feels is our fault.  Forgive us when we have ill feelings towards others who have caused our pain.  Help us to forgive those who do, indeed, sin against us and thereby causing trauma and drama in our lives.  Thank you for recognizing that we have a hard time moving forward.  Help us to energize one another enough to continue moving forward – to continue our life journey – whether we are walking, running or crawling it.  Help us to continue working together, loving one another in spite of the knives in our backs, the pain from lies, and the agony of hurt.  Your Son knows all too well the feelings that utter betrayal can cause.  May we never forget that.  In the name of Christ…Amen.

Philippians 1:6 “For He (God) who started a good work in you WILL be faithful to complete it in you”.

Change

"When the soveriegn spirit within us is true to nature, it stands poised and ready to adjust to every change in circumstance and to seize each new opportunity.  It doesn't approach an object with prejudice or preconception, but handles each thing dispassionately before embracing it and, if necessary finds advantage in what opposes it.  It is like fire in this regard. Whereas a feeble flame might suffocate under a pile of dry sticks, a robust fire consumes everything it touches.  The more objects of any kind heaped on it, the higher it rises, the hotter it burns." Marcus Aurelius

In the past 24 hours life has managed to throw an enormous wrench in to the works of my existence.  I am sure if we sat down together we could both talk for hours upon hours about all the ways that life throws us curve balls.  Just when you think things are starting to look up, no matter how optimistic you remain, life manages to dump something on you that causes your faith to stumble, your tongue to let loose, and your hope in humanity and your future go right out the door.  It happens every day all around us.  I read my Facebook posts from friends and family and see that they, too, are enduring hardships and adversity. 

My partner does not share the same focused faith that I do.  He recognizes the existence of God and is slowly beginning to see the workings of the spirit.  But he, like so many of us, are shot down because we seem to just get going and we get knocked back a few feet.  It can be very disheartening and discouraging.  It becomes more and more difficult to see the Holy through so many UNholy events. I get where he comes from and if I could explain to him in simple, step-by-step terms how it is that I can remain so optimistic…well…I would be a millionaire!

My optimism comes from my hope and trust that I am being cared for in divine ways.  I have seen and witnessed the divine in my life so many times that there is just no way I can deny that it is of the Holy.  And now as this new obstacle is thrown in front of me, I am called to react to it.  I firmly believe that God did not intentionally do this to me but I do believe He allowed it – like a parent allows their child to fall off the bicycle a few times – He allowed this to happen to a) gauge my reaction, b) allow me to watch Him work it out, and c) to see if I allow it to build or break down my faith and trust in the Holy.

The first item, ‘gauge my reaction’:  God is eager to see and feel how we react to every circumstance and situation in our life.  When teaching piano I would encourage my students to touch and play the keys in several different ways.  Obviously there are the loud and soft techniques, but also by changing the angle of the finger ever so slightly.  I would have them pull one leg up on to the bench underneath them and play a few keys to see if the feel and sound changes.  I would come up with multiple ways for them to experience the act of playing a note on the keyboard in order to allow them to gauge the musical reaction to their command.  It truly is a unique learning tool and it teaches the student to become aware of how even the smallest of elemental changes can create a difference in the sound that is produced.  In similar fashion, God allows circumstances to happen so that He can gauge how we react.  It is a test of our faith and our belief.  As long as we hold fast to our faith then God can and will work with every situation.  I believe that God says, many times , “this is not what I would have planned for your life but if you give me some time I promise you I will work with it”. 

If we are open to this method of faith then we remain open to seeing how God works with it.  Here is a prime example from personal experience.  In November of 2011 I was apartment hunting.  I applied for this beautiful apartment in a high rise building right on Lake Michigan.  It was beautiful but my application was denied.  I was devastated.  I was upset and angry and frustrated but I quickly put my faith to test and waited to see why.  I knew there just had to be a divine reason.  That was on a Tuesday.  That Friday I took my mom to the emergency room whereupon they discovered a very large cancer tumor on her brain.  The apartment was too far for me to provide the level of care-giving my mother requires after brain surgery and subsequent treatment.  It was a clear indication of divine intervention.  I believed that God could work with it and I watched for the signs and they were more than obvious.  Even today, as I have encountered this new issue within the last 24 hours, I just know that God is not going to abandon me.  There is a divine purpose and I will do my job of coping with this and doing what I can to fix and improve the situation.  I know God will be doing His part.

Finally, I believe that God is interested in how we hold up through adversity.  This world is full of troubles and situations.  The laws of physics and nature are all around us, wreaking havoc all the time.  The very nature of humanity causes us to be in turmoil with one another and the constraints and expectations of living in an industrialized nation weigh heavily upon all of us.  How we react to it speaks loudly of our character.  It has been said that the true nature of a man is in his reaction to circumstances.  A defeatist attitude will only bring you more defeat.  A pessimistic attitude will not yield optimism. 

Be real as you experience negative situations.  Let God know you feel anger and resentment.  Let God know that it may take a little while before you can fully trust that He is in control but let Him know you are trying; in and through the limitations of your humanity, you are trying to see God in all things.

The sending of Jesus to earth was a brilliant business move on God’s behalf.  Not meaning to make light of this incredible, divine gift – but think about this:  Jesus is our advocate to God the Father. When we bring our prayers to the feet of Christ, Christ then brings our needs to His father.  He brings them to Him with the experience of being human.  Christ knows what it is like to have a human heart and mind.  He knows humanity.  What better advocate than Christ? 

Advocate…attorney…coach…supporter…get the idea?  He is on your side!  Christ knows what it’s like to feel betrayed.  He knows what it’s like to have your plans disrupted.  Christ knows what it’s like to lose a friend to death.  He knows how deeply it hurts to have a friend, a loved-one, betray you.   He knows what it is like to be hungry and thirsty.  He knows what humiliation and total rejection feels like.  He knows what you experience and now He advocates on your behalf to God the Father.  Don’t take this gift too lightly.  If you need someone to rally for you with God you need look no further than the only one who truly knows both sides. 

Take time to process your reaction to circumstances and situations but also focus on the reality that Christ has your back.  Thank God for all things and thank God for working it out.  And then watch and be amazed, once again, at the amazing way that God works with it.  You may need to give Him time but even now, God is putting the necessary pieces in to play so that you can witness a moment of the divine in your life. 

No matter how hard we try – we just can’t change overnight.  If you started a New Year’s Resolution of fitness there is a really good chance that most of you will be done within about 6 weeks.  Researchers suggest that within that time period if we don’t see results we get discouraged and quit.  Nothing can be more of a letdown than not seeing change.  It doesn’t mean it is not happening it’s just that you can’t see it because it is happening in small steps.  Many people who cry, “I’m a changed person, I swear!” are surprised how slowly people will believe them.  Because change takes time.

The magic number of days it takes to make a habit is up for debate.  We used to think that 21 days was the magic number.  That number was given to us first by the plastic surgeon, Dr. Maxwell Maltz. He noticed that it took an average of 21 days for an amputee to adjust to the loss of a limb.  He argued that it takes 21 days to adjust to a major change in life.  Well, I hope we’re not talking about sawing off any limbs so I’m going to guess this argument is really not relevant. 

A recent study in the European Journal of Social Psychology, Phillippa Lally and associates from University College London developed a study and concluded that 66 days is the average length of time it takes to get to the point of forming a habit.  It starts on day sixty-six!  It depends on the habit being formed though.  Drinking a glass of water a day should only take about 12 days while doing exercises before breakfast took a lot longer. 

Change also takes honesty.  If you are fooling people by telling them you are hitting the gym everyday but you really aren’t, sooner or later the results will speak for themselves.  Taking that first step is important but if you expect a parade after one day – even after two weeks – you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Take the first step in faith.  You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”  He’s right.  Taking that first step is important.  But I want to talk about what happens AFTER the first step is taken.  How quickly does it take for us to fall back in to our old habits?

We typically hide our failures because we don’t want people to see them.  Especially if we have declared from the mountain top that we are changed and never looking back.  But how can we declare that on day one?  You simply can’t.  You aren’t free until you are absolutely free.  And for many, that can take months, years, or a lifetime.  Stop looking for the approval of others on this journey of a new you.  Approval may very well be a long thing coming.  It may never happen especially from those closest to you.  If what you strive for is noble, right, fair and just.  If what you resolve to be is to make yourself a better person.  If that which you seek is approved by God – than it is worth any and every sacrifice you make to make it happen.

Reliance on the Holy is to be wise.  And living one day at a time with a reliance on the Holy was taught by Christ.  When we are in self-will, living for self, doing for self, even deceiving others for the sake of self; we tend to dwell on that which produces anxiety, worry and fear; and we fall or continue on destructive behavioral paths.  As we dwell on these things we seek escape or false-comfort in anything from another trip to the fast food window to drugs.  Christ tells us to have reliance on God and through that you will gain wisdom.  But if you aren’t in the habit of doing that you really are not giving yourself much chance to succeed.

Lately I have been somewhat foolish in believing that change is a matter of making up one’s mind and then starting fresh the very next morning.  If you made resolutions and started them on January 1 or January 2 perhaps you, too, have fallen or will fall in to the foolishness category.  You are convinced that this can happen overnight because you WANT it.  But you developed a bad habit, maybe its over-eating, or not exercising, eating poorly, drinking too much, or other addictions such as drugs, smoking or sexual addictions.  Those did not happen overnight so why do we believe that our change FROM those will happen overnight?

Ok so that reality check is depressing.  If it can’t happen overnight than what’s the point?  The point is to become a wise person of your word.  To become what you WANT to become in spite of yourself. To fight the fight that is within you – to beat the raging monster inside your head that tells you to do destructive things; that’s the point of a resolution.  It’s a promise to yourself – not to others – oh it may be about others but the resolution is to yourself.  It is between your heart and your God. 

Don’t find excuses and more importantly stand up to them when they do come along. And they WILL come along.  Your old self wants you back.  That was ordinary.  This whole ‘new me’ and ‘resolution’ stuff is not ordinary so old self is going to fight like crazy to see that it doesn’t happen.  Fight the good fight.  Resist temptation and seek reconciliation when you do wrong.  Work hard every single day because when you decide to rest from your work is when the old self comes back to convince you the work is not worth the prize.  But it is worth it – the work and labor of the journey is worth the final destination.

Those who know me will not be surprised how I end this.  I’ve used this quote for as long as I can remember but I use it because it has truth.  Your desire to change – your inner need to change those bad habits and make good ones – that’s a destination in your spirit.  God would have never put it in your spirit if it wasn’t going anywhere.  Set your sights on the prize and the promise of God and don’t be scared.  Your desire is a confirmation that your destination is there.  So do it. Regardless of your old self, in spite of others, in spite of old habits no matter how destructive and no matter how many were left dead or hurting in its wake:  make the decision today to make positive choices and resolve to make them stick.  To resolve means to transform.  The transformation of your mind, body and spirit can be a long and sometimes painful journey but keep in mind and focus upon the end result.  The end result if a far better you. 

Look; one of the highest and most ultimate goals that God has for us is our transformation – our resolution.  The Bible tells us, “and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may PROVE what is that good and acceptable and perfect WILL OF GOD (not will of self) (Romans 12:2).

Soul-Weather

I’m sitting in my car waiting for someone to come out from an appointment.  The temperature sits right around freezing and the sun is glaring down on me.  The ground is frozen and patches of grass are sticking up through the light dusting of snow.  A few birds brave the wind in search of food.  It appears they are finding plenty of that just in front of my car.  The occasional human walks past but the birds go undisturbed for the most part.  I’m caught up in the rays of the sun and am hungry for the warmth of it on my skin.  The cold air bites too hard for the heat of the sun to get to me.  It’s unfair.  The sky is a brilliant blue, dotted with gorgeous white fluffy clouds – the perfect summertime sky in the midst of freezing temperatures and snow. 

As I stare out the window of the car I find myself almost mesmerized by the leave-less trees. They stand as tall as always but don’t seem to be so majestic in all their nakedness.  They aren’t ashamed, of course, but they just stand there patiently waiting for the spring.  The seasonal death will yield a season of new birth for them and their neighboring plants and other vegetation.

Ahhh…new birth.  Christ talked about it and absolutely perplexed many.  He talked about a man being reborn, experiencing new birth.  Of course he did not mean for a man to literally go through the birth waters but for man to experience a rebirth…a birth by and through the waters of the Holy Spirit.  Much like the seasons of the year we each experience seasons of our lives.  Although it is typically reserved for the elderly, it could be said that each of us, no matter what age, experience autumn months of our lives (as well as winter, spring and summer). 

What time of year is it for you?  For me I feel spring is just about to hit.  I feel an urge to stretch my hands upward and outward a little further and begin to feel the thawing of my hardened heart and mind, which has been slowed by the wintering of my soul.  I see people I know in the autumn months, beginning to die off, yielding to the inevitable cold, frozen months to come.  Slowing withdrawing in to themselves and their vices.  Struggling against a win-less battle to stay strong and upright.  It just doesn’t work for them although the desire is there.  Some are experiencing the winter months – a time of deep hibernation, a lack of spiritual and emotional growth, a sleepy, coma-like existence where one just lives to get through the day.

We all go through different seasons and what is important for us to grasp is that we all go through them and it is ok no matter which season you are in.  There is a reason for that season.  There is much that happens beyond our eyes during winter.  There is growth and renewal in spring and times of abundance in summer.  What I’m trying to say is pretty simple – no matter where you are in your life right now the Creator has designed this particular time and space just for you.  Your journey will take you in and out of all the seasons throughout your life.  You don’t simply arrive, finally, at the joy-filled summertime and stay there the rest of your days.  No matter what season/weather is happening along your journey today, you are here because it is important for you to be here right now.  You may be experiencing abundant joy and freedom of summer soul-weather, or the cold bitterness brought on by depression, anger and frustration found in winter soul-weather.  Perhaps you are seeking renewal and experiencing a rebirth of your interests, loves and life found in spring soul-weather. 

Rejoice in your current soul-weather condition.  Find solace in the fact that you are not alone, you are being cared for, you are being loved.  The seasons change and each one is meant to equip you for the next.  You are growing and changing just as quickly as the weather.