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This is a season of change for my husband and me. Recently we
were thinking about how many things have changed for us in the last few
months.
The first change is into a wider sphere of influence. My husband and I have
been overseas teaching for the last six weeks. For several years my husband has
been offering me more opportunities to speak on these trips, but I preferred to
be behind the scenes. This time I stepped out and taught on some subjects
I’m particularly passionate about. From one of those sessions, I have
been given the opportunity to write a series of articles for a local English
language newspaper. It is a season of change that is bringing many new
opportunities for touching others.
When we leave here we will be going to Japan for three weeks. We have
traveled through the Tokyo airport for years, but never had the opportunity to
spend some time, see some of the cities, meet some of the people and so on.
Since we have not done this before, we really don't know what we are
facing. I've been really excited about the opportunity to visit four
cities there and meet with some different groups of people. On the other hand,
I'm a little frightened by all the unknowns. You would think after all
these years of going to new places and doing new things, I wouldn't be
frightened, but I am. Change, particularly stepping into the unknown, is still
hard for me.
Our youngest son is getting married in October. He has been living at home
with us and keeping our home while we make these two to three month trips. We
have known changes were coming, but we were not prepared for how it would
affect us.
This week in a phone call, he told us about his move to the apartment he and
his fiancee will be living in after the wedding. He was bubbling over with
details about the apartment, the furniture they had bought, the moving day,
etc. I was happy for him. Then he told us he had the piano movers move his
piano. That's when the tears started. We have enjoyed his piano playing
every day for years. The piano move symbolized in a poignant way that our
youngest son was moving out too. We expected it; we encourage it; but it is
still an emotional time. So for us, even home is changing and will never be the
same again.
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Instead of focusing on all the changes, it is good for us to focus on things that cannot be
shaken.
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I was on Instant Messaging with my Dad and sisters later in the week. I was
telling them how I felt when I realized Matt was moved out. My Dad said, "I
know the feeling!" I never had thought about how he had felt when I moved
out.
We will have a little over a month at home before the wedding--enough time
to get over jet lag, plan the rehearsal dinner, and enjoy the festivities. Then
the emptiness will really hit us. My personal challenge is to not look too far
into the future and imagine what life will be like. God doesn't give us
grace for imagined situations. But He does give grace and strength for
today.
As I sit here writing this email, the tears are flowing again. None of the
changes I'm facing at this time are bad changes. They are things we
prayed for and believed for over many years. So why the tears? Some people seem
to make these changes effortlessly, but apparently I'm not one of
them.
I know Heb. 12:28 says we should be thankful that we are receiving a kingdom
that cannot be shaken. Instead of focusing on all the changes going on in our
lives it is good for us to focus on some of the things that cannot be
shaken.
A relationship we've built with the Lord over many years is a
life-line during seasons of change. A long and satisfying relationship with our
spouse will not change. We can help each other when the jolts and jarring of
change have knocked us off balance. Our children move away, but they
don't stop loving us.
It's good for me to remember that just as God wants to be our sure
foundation when everything seems to be changing, the enemy wants to sow
destructive seeds in our minds. Since our enemy is the father of lies,
it's not surprising that he tries to fill our minds with anxiety,
helplessness, and hopelessness. I do not have to be victimized by him!
One of the lies he loves to torment me with is that if I were just more
spiritual, I wouldn't find change hard. God has been my Comfort and Peace
many times in my life, and He has never seemed to disapprove of genuine tears.
He made me with that release valve and I really don't think He minds me
using it. What can be more spiritual than taking our hurting hearts to the Lord
for comfort!
On the other hand, there are some times in our lives when it feels like we
are slogging through knee deep mud and nothing will ever change. But one thing
I've learned, nothing stays the same forever. If things stayed the same,
we would become secure in the "normalcy" of the sameness and forget to depend
on God. Above all else, I believe, God wants us to trust Him and lean on
Him.
So whether you feel you are stuck in the mud or in a time of a multitude of
changes, remember to keep your eyes on the One who directs our lives and
upholds us in change. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He
won't abandon us in the sameness or in change.
Blessings!
Diane
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