Summer is my favorite season by far. That may sound strange since summers in Texas can bring brutal temperatures and ungodly humidity. But, there is something magical about summer.
Walking outside in the early morning in a tshirt, shorts and flip flops makes me feel unencumbered. And, the warm sun on my face feels like love upon my skin. You know how love makes you feel warm all over? On those warm summer mornings sitting on the porch, looking at the way the sun reflects on the lake like millions of diamonds sparkling brightly, I feel close to God.
Our bald eagle sightings are far more frequent in summer than any other time of year. God speaks to me through these majestic birds, as well as the hawks that live near us. When I am blessed to spot an eagle flying over the lake looking for an aquatic meal, I hear God speaking to my heart. I feel His presence and His love for me, personally. I'm convinced He is sending me love letters in the form of these birds that I love, and in many other ways through his earthly creations.
Now that I'm writing these thoughts, I realize the true reason I love summer more than any other time of year. It is because I feel God's love and His spirit so much more powerfully when I'm spending time experiencing nature and the incredible creatures around us.
But, I've been thinking more about winter these days. Not so much the season of winter that is upon us, but the seasons of winter in our lives. To be sure, we all experience winter. It's a time of bleakness, uncomfortable cold, and sometimes utter darkness. I've survived many a winter in my life. Times of despair. Times of hopelessness. Times of hunger.
In the midst of these cold seasons of life, when I've felt I could not go on one more day, when winter had taken a heavy toll upon my soul, I inevitably reach for Jesus, in desperation, asking for answers, begging for the pain to stop, questioning why a loving God would allow me to suffer so.
He doesn't always bring me the answers I seek, or lift the pain with the snap of His fingers, but when I finally turn to God in my suffering, I find solace. I find comfort. I find He is and always was there. And, in time, I find joy again.
Because we live in an imperfect world, winter will visit us again and again. Sometimes it is mild and spring arrives so quickly we hardly notice that we experienced a darker time and our challenges are easily forgotten. Other times the harshness of our winter threatens to overwhelm us to the point of annihilation, and in those moments we have no choice but to cry out to God for help. There is nowhere else to turn, and if we don't cry out we will surely die.
Your might isn’t in numbers, and your power isn’t in the strength of a human being. But you are the God of the humble. You are a helper of the underdog, defender of the weak, protector of those who despair, savior of those without hope. - Judith 9:11
More winters are coming. A harsh one is on the horizon. Lord, I need you now. Sweet Jesus, thank you for suffering for me so that I can remember the hope I have during the terrible winters. A hope of everlasting life, a joy so complete that it will banish all winters into oblivion. Thank you that I can find joy even in winter, knowing that summer is coming.
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will fly up on wings like eagles; they will run and not be tired; they will walk and not be weary. - Isaiah 40:31
Be love and be blessed,
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