Summer Reflections

The summer has past and fall is now upon us.  Though the days are getting shorter and the leaves are beginning to turn, the temperatures in recent days reminds one of mid-July.   The month of October usually beckons one to pull out the scarves and boots in excited anticipation of the crisp, cool days ahead.   But mark my words: come January, most in the Midwest will be dreaming of the beach and flip flops and counting down the days until spring.  I'm thankful for a Creator who established the changing of the seasons.

The summer of 2019 has personally been one of the most difficult and yet most rewarding summers I can remember.  It is very true that God has brought about some great joys in my life in recent months:  the birth of a precious nephew, the beginning of new relationships, fresh opportunities to express my gifts within the Body of Christ, close fellowship with family and friends.  For all of these I am most grateful.

But perhaps what stands out the most to me in the midst of receiving all these blessings from the hand of God is the work that He has done in my soul.  I experienced some of the lowest points of my life this past summer, but in those days as I cast myself upon the Lord and sought refuge in His Word, I received a most wondrous gift:  more of God Himself.

Providence is a mystery, but it is also utterly astounding.  This past winter when I volunteered to teach a women's Bible study at my church on Hebrews 11 in the fall, I had no idea all that would transpire in my life the coming six months.

Towards the end of May coming fresh off a wonderful family vacation, my dad and I began tackling a rather overwhelming landscaping project.  I was also juggling many responsibilities at work and remaining active outdoors with my friends more days than not.  Life was moving along at neck-breaking speed when it all came to a screeching halt one Sunday morning in mid-June when a car rolled over my left foot in a freak accident.  In a split second, the busyness of my life suddenly dissipated as I found myself severely limited for over six weeks.

It is painfully difficult for me to sit still.  I will do anything for the sake of productivity and efficiency.  But in those days following the accident, I literally met my match.  Forced to stop, forced to sit still, forced to deal with my heart before the Lord.  In the hand of God, that accident was meant for my soul.

In allowing my body to heal from a traumatic injury as well as bowing out of many commitments, God used the quietness to teach me some powerful lessons.  In the days that followed while I had to sit rather than do, I turned my attention to Hebrews 11 to begin studying this "Hall of Faith" in preparation for teaching it to others.  As I listened to sermons from Sinclair Ferguson and other well-known preachers and poured myself into understanding the core message of the author of Hebrews, my eyes were opened to the truths of a book of the Bible I never imagined I would come to love as much as I do now.  And this was exactly what my soul needed to feed upon as I wrestled through the providences of God.
Persevering faith.  That's the essence of my summer in 2019.  I probably won't experience one quite like it again.  (I mean, how often does one make contact with a motor vehicle?  Hopefully not more than once.)  But the marks left on my soul have impacted me for life.

It's true.  As we draw closer to the Lord He reveals more of Himself.  And that is a beautiful, priceless gift.

So as you reflect on your summer, ponder what God has done for you and treasure what He has given.