I used to love change...But now, as an official “middle-aged” woman, I yearn for stability and security…I think it’s a natural shift. However, while I’m not looking for change, I do fear being stagnant — staying so long and so quiet in my comfort zone that I don’t experience all that God wants me to or has for me. 

When life feels uncertain, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to control everything. We want answers. We want to feel prepared. We want to make sure nothing is left up in the air. At least, I feel that way. It seems safer to hold tight than to surrender. But when I start clinging to control, I usually end up feeling the opposite of peace. I get anxious. Overwhelmed. Hopeless.

God is amazing. He used my pets to remind me of the ways we are called to love – and how He has uniquely gifted us to offer love in different ways so that together we can get through tough circumstances. We can remind one another, through our actions and support, that God loves us.

Well, I am competitive in other places; places where I see how I may control things, or fix the circumstances, or be the “wise”(est) friend. I want to win. I want to be the best. I want to be known, remembered, and respected. However, this desire to keep score allows Satan a foothold into my heart.

I don’t know about you but I am exhausted right now. And I’m not just talking about a physical exhaustion where I didn’t get enough sleep, but rather an emotional, mental and spiritual exhaustion that comes from too many battles – battles of life as I navigate the difficulties and uncertainties brought on by a fallen and broken world.

I’ve visited many places in the world, and I will always choose to live in a place with four clear seasons. Those seasons help me to remember God’s faithfulness and His restoration. I find peace and joy in the colors God has chosen for plants and flowers, bugs and birds.