Seasons

This morning I started thinking about seasons. Sometimes you have to completely finish one season before you begin another. But that doesn't mean that God has not been preparing you for the next one all the time.

In December of 1997, I finished up my associates degree at the local community college. Around that same time, I started going to a church pastored by Rhema graduates. In January I started attending a four year university about 45 minutes away. I drove back and forth, commuting for an entire semester. I was in the midst of trying to figure out what I wanted to do, or more importantly what I thought God wanted me to do with myself.

I didn’t really enjoy going to school there. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I had switched my major to communications and was just taking random classes. The classes I was taking were unfulfilling. I did make one friend who was a Christian during the time. And I got to eat lunch at this fun bagel place with one of my best friends who was attending college there too at the same time.

Also, during that time, I was developing relationships with people who would eventually help me make my way to Bible school. I started dating a Rhema Bible Training Center graduate. My pastors were Rhema graduates. And I became friends with another lady in my church who was also planning to go to Rhema.

God orchestrated all of that. Without my help.

When I look back on it, it was seriously amazing. It was one of the most pivotal moments of my life. As I followed his lead, it changed my life.

Throughout that winter and into the spring, God was preparing me to go to Rhema. But, I had to finish up the season I was in, which was being with my family, finishing up school, and getting ready to say goodbye to everyone.

After I finished the semester at the university, I filled out the application to go to Rhema. Within just a few weeks, I found out that I had gotten in!!! A new season was beginning.

Maybe you are in the middle of a transition right now. Maybe God is wrapping up one season for you, because you are about to start something new. He is preparing you for it, but you have to finish up and close out where you are nicely first.

Don’t try to jump out of that season into the next. It will go smoothly, and he will make you ready as you listen to the Holy Spirit and you follow his leading.

He is placing people in your path to help you transition from one season to the next. It might not be totally easy, but you will see his hand in it, and it will give you courage and confidence to move forward!

When I write or speak about something, I always want to make sure that I include some story from the Word to go with it.  I didn't think of a specific story while writing this, but I did think about Peter.  He started out as a fisherman, and then became a fisher of men.  If you want to learn more about him, you can read the blog posts that I have written that mention Peter here.

Peter had struggles, he had failures, but he had Jesus.  And Jesus, and those around him, the ones who came alongside him, and the ones who needed him, both propelled him forward.

Many blessings to you on your journey with Jesus!


Beth