The seasons are changing. I love these days when I wake up to a crispness in the air and hear the leaves crunching under my feet. The first frost has come which officially starts the period of hot chocolate consumption in my family. Early sunsets. Bundling up with gloves and scarves. Hunkering down in bed with a hot cup of cider or tea and a good book. Fall is officially here, and with that, the promise of winter. The fall has also marked the beginning of many changes in my own life. Towards the end of the summer, it literally felt like my entire world was swirling around me, and I couldn't seem to get a grip on myself or all that was happening. After much prayer and counsel from family and trusted friends, I made the decision to step back for a season from extra responsibilities and volunteer opportunities to allow time for a restoration of body and soul.
One of the benefits from this decision has been a greater freedom to be with my family without feeling pulled in several different directions. With weddings on the horizon, time with sisters and nieces and nephews is that more precious.
Perhaps the greatest refreshment, though, has been a renewed focus on my relationship with the Lord. I've come to see that times of quiet aren't necessarily signs of lack of diligence or selfishness. With fewer distractions and less exhaustion, my times in the Word have been so much more rich. And that has been what I've desperately needed the last several months. Time to pour out my heart before the Lord, to wrestle with his will and submit to it, to be re-established on the Rock of truth, to grow more in my love for my Savior though my heart longs for other things. It has been a season of renewal for my soul. And with that has come an inner peace and joy, squelching the confusion and pain of the summer. My life certainly looks a bit different right now, and it has been humbling to be faced with the realization that I can't do everything. But I'm learning that people are more important than my project list and that spiritual renewal is vital for effective service in the Kingdom.
I look forward to re-engaging in many of the things I've enjoyed in the past. But I'm grateful for this time to slow down and reflect, to rest and enjoy the good things God is doing in our family, and most importantly, to truly delight in my Savior - the One who died for me and is working out his good purposes for me.
