As the Season Changes

I grew up in South Georgia where the seasons blur from one to another
without any major changes. I missed out on fall colors for years. When the
leaves begin to change, I feel like a school girl, waiting expectantly for
cooler temperatures and fall fun. I read somewhere that fall is nature’s last
fling before settling into winter’s sleep. I absolutely LOVE autumn for so many
reasons:

There are seasons in our lives when joy seems like a favorite pastime,
and we feel anything but alive. When our hurts outweigh our smiles. When I look
back over the past seven years, I can relate to the Israelites who slaved for
the Egyptians while longing for freedom. Alas, they were freed only to wander
in the wilderness. Surprisingly, the Israelites began to long for captivity
again, because it was familiar. The promised land seemed like a cruel joke – a place
they’d never truly know.

I am so thankful that this season of my life is one of great joy. While
I wouldn’t say that I’ve “arrived” in the promised land, God has multiplied my
joy and given me a new passion for life. As I watch the leaves fall from the
trees, I think about the new leaves that will grow in the spring. Unless the
dead leaves are removed, there cannot be new growth.

Now that Tears to Joy has been
released, I feel a freedom to learn from the past, and yet to prepare for the
future.