Changing seasons

Sometimes in life, you find yourself in a place that doesn't really make sense... everything leading up to that point was good, yet you find yourself at the end of a path you didn't see coming. 

It's like you were walking along a mountain path, faithfully following that path up/around the mountain. Suddenly you find yourself on a platform. The path has ended and it's time to stop and look at the view- how far you have walked along this path. Who you travelled with, who is still travelling with you... Then you look up and ask, "Where do I go now? I thought there was much more of this path to travel? What about the promises and opportunities?" 

The clear answer is, "You have walked as far as I had intended for you. It's time to rest before I reveal the new path. The promises were never for THIS path. The journey was necessary, but the promises are for the next season. You couldn't travel this new season without first travelling the path that has now ended".

It's a new season. The path was amazing, yet had an expiry point. There is no joy in remaining in a season, or on a path you no longer have the grace for. Life is full of surprises. There comes a time where staying in a comfort zone brings little comfort. You need to move on. Let go of your expectations of that season and travel the new path in faith. 

Facing a new season can be daunting, but your heart knows it's time. In order to enjoy the future, you must let go of the past. 🦋

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland". ~Isaiah 43:19 NIV

It doesn't matter HOW, just FINISH

As it appears to be Fun Run season for Melbourne schools, I was reminded of one very significant Fun Run in which I 'participated'. I was 11, had broken my wrist and was firmly told that a plaster cast was no excuse to not participate! (Can't say I didn't try! LOL!) Running has never been fun for me, but I was generally an obedient child. So...I began that "fun" run with all the other kids in my small, country school. I chose to walk.

I reached the halfway point, on that dusty, country road. After greeting the parent supervising, I decided to stay with her until the end of the race, and walk back with her. We chatted as we watched the other kids pass.

I don't recall how the other

kids proceeded. The biggest fact I remember, was I was the last person in the whole school (about 60-80 kids) to finish the course...and I was awarded FIRST PLACE for girls in my year level. I discovered that none of the other girls actually finished the course! I experienced a mix of feelings...shock, disappointment, disbelief, joy... The thought of not completing the course never crossed my mind! 

What's the point of this story? It doesn't matter how quickly you finish a course - just finish. When you have a goal, don't worry about how quicky others reach the same goal. You have your own race to run in life. Stay in your lane, don't compare with others, and don't give up. Take one step at a time, take breaks when you need them, and enjoy the journey. In the end, all that matters is that you FINISHED the course. You may have different skills and methods to complete a task, just complete it. Like 11 year old me, you may receive a big surprise when you reach that finish line! 🦋

 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.               ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Beside Still Waters

 

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters, He refreshes my soul. Psalms 23:1‭-‬3 (Emphasis mine).

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is for modern society to "be still"? People are so busy with life, it feels like a challenge to take a break or rest. Sometimes we even skull our tea or coffee, instead of savouring it for a few minutes.

Have you also noticed how it's difficult for many Christians to stop and "be still" in God's presence? (Psalm 46:10). We all have our busy schedules, To-Do Lists, distractions and honestly, simple disobedience that compete for our attention. It's not that we don't want to... it's just much easier to give in to the distractions, isn't it? 

I love watching water... It's so relaxing and refreshing. To hear the trickling stream, or waves lapping the shore. How many of us, in our busy days yearn for the quiet, despite not feeling able to find it? 

Although I love watching the waves, I'm not a beach lover... Like Anakin Skywalker, "I don't like sand..." But send me to a river, or a fountain, and I'm in my happy place. 

Most of the time I am not able to be near a physical river, but the river comes to me! Sometimes the river is in my car. I can sit quietly in God's presence, soaking in worship, preparing for the day ahead. Or my lounge, streaming music from my tv or device. There have been many times where this kind of river experience has been my biggest weapon. When it feels like the waves are crashing around me, threatening to overcome me, wherever I am becomes my still water. Sometimes music stills my heart, and gives me the strength to face the day. I'm certain, if I did not spend these quiet times at the river, I would have lost a good portion of my joy. However, I know without a doubt where my joy comes from, and there is an everlasting flow. It's free and available to anybody who asks.

Many of us are feeling the need for refreshment in this season. We've been in battles, good battles, but are now needing that rest that only comes from God. He wants to give us that rest. He wants to refresh us and prepare us for our next season. What I am currently learning, is rests are part of the Battle Plan. While we sit beside the water, we are not idle. There is such purpose in this kind of rest. The enemy may try to taunt us and tell us otherwise, but he is a liar and very afraid of what is beyond this season of rest and preparation! 

I sense God challenging us all, "Will you sit with me beside the water?"  

Bridges of Relationships

I'm sure many who are reading this have been feeling the effects of the transitional season we are in. Things are different. There is a sense of both loss and new beginnings. What I am personally experiencing, is a realignment, even shifting of relationships.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens... Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV).

I can't say it is necessarily a nice, or enjoyable experience, but in the big picture, I trust it is good. 

I have been thinking about BRIDGES regarding relationships. People often say things like, "Build bridges, don't burn them", "Be careful not to burn that bridge!" or even, "How can we rebuild this bridge?" 

Many bridges of communication or connection are burned through, among other things,  hurt, unforgiveness, misunderstandings, or simply dislike. It is so easy to burn a bridge, and much harder to rebuild, once burned. My constant prayer has been to maintain a clean, forgiving heart with no regrets.  My challenge is to actively maintain bridges of communication, even if the other party does not reciprocate. "Why?", you may ask... Because I don't want any regrets, or any hints of unforgiveness in my heart.

Although I actively choose to maintain bridges, there are some bridges in my heart that remain closed. I did not burn those bridges, nor did I close them. In order to protect my heart and help me heal from traumas, God placed a locked gate on my end of those bridges. I hold NO unforgiveness in my heart towards these people (the locked gates helped me work towards this), but God placed a lock on those gates, and I trust Him fully to maintain those gates. One day He may unlock the gates, but that is out of my hands. He holds the key. I have no intention of trying to unlock those gates myself.

Currently, I find myself in the middle of relationship changes. I don't know what caused the changes, but I do know the bridges are vulnerable. So, I have accepted that communication may possibly cease from the other end, but I have no intention of closing off my end of the bridge. Of course, this will involve continued forgiveness, and not treating others the way they treat me... but I've been travelling this mental/emotional path for some time now...so I guess I can say this bumpy path has only made me stronger and wiser. Of course it saddens me when communication breaks down, but sometimes it's best to let things go. So, I'm letting go. If I can't bring these relationships into my future, then I'm not going to waste my time and energy on something I have no control over. 

Some bridges have an Expiry, or Best Before date. Personally, I feel some bridges have reached their Best Before date, so naturally they won't be as good as they originally were. The lesson here is, as Ecclesiastes says, "There is a time for everything". That sometimes you need to simply take a 'stocktake' of your life and keep moving forward. This may involve leaving things behind that can't, or won't travel with you into the future. And that's okay. We don't need to know what the future holds. Just what is our responsibility and what isn't. So I choose to keep moving. Accept my losses, forgive those who hurt me- intentionally and unintentionally - and keep walking forward, not looking back.

If you are reading this, it's likely our bridge is ok. 

If you don't know me, my prayer is that my words encourage you.

If you are one of those who has hit my locked gates, I want you to know you are 100% forgiven. I won't open those gates, but if God ever does, I will be on the other side.  

This is a new season. Time to let go of the old and embrace the new. To fix our eyes on what is good for our souls. To follow God's will for our lives, and not compare. We all have a purpose and calling. Let's embrace this, and cheer each other on!🦋

Don't underestimate "the pause".

Somebody reminded me I haven't posted in a while...they were right! So I'll get a February post in before the calendar flips to March in less than 2 hours! (I should be asleep...shhh!) Haha!

What a crazy year...and it's only February. Yesterday I was looking at some sheet music...something I'm ashamed to admit I haven't done in far too long. The rest marks were highlighted to me. I felt God remind me that some of the most beautiful music includes times of RESTS. They could be short, such as semi-quaver length, half bars or full bars, but they are ESSENTIAL to enhancing the beauty of the song.

This season has been exhausting, and I've really treasured the times I could simply rest. Another way of saying rest, is to Pause. We need to take moments to breathe, to feel, to be filled, to release...  Just like music, our lives need times of rest.  Don't underestimate "the pause". 🦋

Exiting the Cocoon

Many people have been wondering where I've been, and if I'm ok. 

I am great, and haven't gone away.

I have been in a short season of rest. I had been living and breathing in an heightened  warfare mode for so long, I didn't realise just how intense the battle was - until I was called out.

Suddenly, God took me out of the battle and said, "It's time to rest". 

So that's where I've been. In a new cocoon. There is always warfare, but not every battle needs to be fought. 

I have loved this cocoon, but the purpose of a cocoon is to prepare. You can't stay in a cocoon and expect to become a butterfly! So, I have been in preparation of a new season. My wings have been strengthened and expanded. I don't know what this season will bring, but I know I am not the same person who went into the cocoon. 

If God didn't call me out of the battle, I would still be in it. It was my normal. I would have obediently continued fighting. But now I have been on the sidelines, I know there is a new battle. To everything there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3). 

I'm grateful for this cocoon season, but now my heart knows it's time to push out and spread my wings again.

I don't know what this new year holds... I have expectations, but ultimately I am in the hands of my creator. If He is not in it, I don't want it. I look forward to seeing where He sends these new wings. 🦋

God's Freight Train of Love

Have you ever felt like you've been hit by a freight train of God's love?

That's how I've been feeling the last few days...overwhelmed... peaceful... hopeful... greatly encouraged.

Life has not been easy, but I live in expectation that things won't stay the way they are, or the way they have been.

God has used strangers to speak into the deepest places of my heart. I've been quietly asking Him to confirm His promises through others... because I have been holding on to these promises for such a long time... You begin to question if you really did hear His voice, or if it's just wishful thinking. 

Then He lovingly crashed into my heart like a freight train! He undid me... He answered my prayer in the most unexpected, encouraging way. He went above and beyond my expectations. 

Before anybody said anything, He showed me something in a familiar picture I had never paid attention to, but suddenly became so meaningful. A path. A long path. One that 2 of us have been walking along, together. God showed me that we have come a looooong way together. The future is closer than it has ever been. The path does end. When, I don't know. But the time to hope and find that joy has come. Change is coming. Dreams will be fulfilled. Promises will come to pass.

Don't be afraid to ask God anything... He knows your deepest, unspoken desires, hopes, dreams, fears and hurts. He only wants the best for us. 

I pray He hits you with his freight train of love! You won't be the same 💜🦋