Bread for the Journey

Seasons of Life

Have you noticed that every season has stormy scenes

as well as scenes of beauty and peace?

In our current season of autumn,

we often have very strong winds.

Winds strong enough to break tree limbs, blow the leaves from branches

and

dislodge anything that is not securely fastened down.

Yet, as in the photo above,

there are also times where there is colorful beauty mirrored in stillness.

*

Our seasons of life are like that too.

There are times we feel like everything is being torn from us,

the winds of unwelcome change come

sweeping relentlessly through our well ordered lives

and we look for hiding places, that elude us.

But God has promised,

His places of peace

and the beauty of His 'forever-with-us' Presence

is there if we just open our eyes to see.

Seasons come and seasons go...

every season is needful,

every season has purpose

and every season is ordered by the Lord.

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2Co 4:8-10 "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed;

we are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;

struck down, but not destroyed—
always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,

that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. "

*

"Father, we trust you in whatever season of life we find ourselves. We thank you that you have gone before and already know the season that will follow the one we are in now. Help us to rest in the places that You have provided and may we hold tight to Your unshakable promises, with faith in our hearts, no matter how fiercely the strong winds blow. May we proclaim Your Word that the victory is already ours because You have overcome the world!

Amen"