A meditation moment from Kristina Lilley

As I sip my morning coffee staring out the dining room window I admire the trees in my backyard. They are beautiful and full moving and dancing with the wind creating a beautiful melody with the shaking of their leaves.  As they sway back and forth creating their lovely song, I notice that the leaves have already begun to turn to beautiful autumn colors. The seasons are changing, fall is just about ready to make its grand entrance.  Here comes the pumpkin spice, candy corn, candy apples, trick or treat, Thanksgiving and so much more.  

To some this is the beginning of their favorite time of year. Perhaps the promise of relief from the heat or maybe an opportunity to make new family memories. To others, it can be a very sad time of year. An end to summer fun or maybe it will be the first holiday without someone special. No matter what your situation is, we are all going through a season of our own.  

Life is full of contrasts. We go through mountains, and we go through valleys. We go through successes, and we go through failures. We have wins, and we have losses. 

There are four seasons in the year. But in your life, there may be dozens of different seasons. 

Everyone you know is going through something or has gone through something. I want to assure you that, if you are struggling, that “thing” you are currently facing at work, in your marriage, with finances, friendships, relationships with kids, I’m here to tell you that it is “just” a season. And this too will pass!  

Whether this new season has presented you with blessings, challenges or both, remember that God promises to be with us every step of the way. In fact, we do not have to wait for the start of new seasons to begin again, because the Lord’s mercies are new every morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 
A time to be born, and a time to die; 
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 
A time to kill, and a time to heal; 
A time to break down, and a time to build up; 
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; 
A time to mourn, and a time to dance; 
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 
A time to seek, and a time to lose; 
A time to keep, and a time to cast away; 
A time to tear, and a time to sew; 
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 
A time to love, and a time to hate; 
A time for war, and a time for peace.