Seven Days

A week passes and life changes dramatically. Seven days ago I was a "PC person"--I'm writing tonight from a Mac. Seven days ago I sent out letters to my ministry partners announcing a major shift in life--close to twelve years with a wonderful organization comes to a end. Seven days ago, my Grandmother was just advancing in years; today, she has an Aortic Aneurysm.

Long before any of these things became realities in my life, the Lord knew about each of them. I breathe deeply as I consider that truth. He knew. Not only did He possess the knowledge of the events and circumstances, but He also knew how I would feel about each of them from least to greatest. The significance of this is not lost on me tonight.

There were other happenings these past seven days, of course. God opened doors for me to step into something I'm insanely excited about related to my new adventure, but indirectly. Someone I hadn't talked to in a long time reached out for reconciliation and I wondered, "Didn't we?" Diving into that feels like swimming in tar at the moment as I go back and try to recall why this might still be undone; perhaps that will change and closure will finally be achieved. In the midst of transition, I remembered that choosing to have boundaries is healthy and decided to take some time to downshift, maintain some tasks that can't be overlooked, spend time with Jesus in an extremely intentional fashion and maybe take some time to finally hang the artwork in my bedroom (shooting for the stars there!...) instead of jumping right in to the new stuff.

All of these things only add fuel to the fire of my worship and love for Him because I know He's in every part of it. Talking with my Mom this week, I recounted multiple ways that God has made Himself known to me these past few weeks. I told story after story about His provision and the ways I've been able to experience healing and love. One friend spent a few minutes sharing the growth that he has seen in a particular area of my spiritual life since the last time we worked closely together--he was so encouraged that he went home and told his wife about it! As I shared that particular moment with my Mom, she took the opportunity to tell me how she and my Dad had noticed major changes in me when I was home for Christmas. I was in awe of God's movement and the transformation He has caused in me.

Perhaps some of this is why, in the midst of such change and hard news, I can take joy. I see the fingerprints of God all over my life right now and I cannot help but express my supreme delight in His goodness--in every part of it. Somehow, I know that it all really will turn out for good--I'm in a place where I can believe God's intentions are to bring blessing into my life no matter what shape the course takes. And, although I've found that I'm not sleeping too well these days, I am uncovering what it means to enter His rest.