Seasons of life

Our entire life is made up of many different seasons. We have seasons for all different areas such as: friendships,workplace, marriage, and even spiritual seasons... Some seasons last longer than others, but we can always be assured that a new one is coming. Today, I'd like to use an analogy so you can identify what type of season your are either entering, in, or leaving.Spring- these are some of the greatest seasons we go through. When you think of spring, you think of things being planted, baby birds and animals rising from their slumber, and life growing all around us. This season is often times filled with new beginnings! It can be exciting starting new relationships, or maybe even a new job or project. It might even seem a little intimidating as you plant these seeds not knowing what they'll turn into, waiting on God to develop them. Spring is that season of planting seeds and it does take some work. The beginning stages of developing something God has placed in your life... Often times this season can be the most exciting yet nerve racking.

Summer- when I think of summer, I think back to summer vacation! When endless Summer's seemed possible and you run around having fun after working so hard during the school year, but you know what else I remember about summer? Storms! Especially living in Florida. If we weren't careful and didn't prepare for storms, we would get caught in them and all the stuff we had planned to do, ran the chance of getting ruined. This is the same for us now. Summer is a time of growth. We've planted the seeds and now we learn to protect them and grow them even as the storms of life come. Because we've been settled in certain areas of our lives, we know that storms will come... Often times sent by the enemy, but God allows them to see how we have prepared for the next season...this season is crucial... It can make us or break us, it can show God whether or not we are ready for His harvest... But if you learn to thrive during this time it can be the most productive time of your life.

Autumn- ah the sweet smell of autumn, the crisp air blowing the colorful leaves around. Fall is harvest time. We've planted, protected, and now we reap. God brings us into harvest seasons consistently if we are consistently pursuing His call on our lives. These seasons are filled with great blessings not only for us, but for the Kingdom. It requires hard work on our end, but we are prepared because we have been building endurance since our spring season... The harvest season is the time we exert most of our energy and it can be short or long. For example, Maybe you just had a brand new baby that you grew for 9months (9months was your summer) having the baby and the first few months is your harvest... Or you started a new group that you have been praying for and building on...well now you commit every week to hosting and leading it. There are so many areas where we can see our harvest. For my husband Travis and I, one great harvest season was our wedding and the few months right after. Autumn is that time when all our hard work pays off and we see what God has been doing behind the seens the entire time.Winter- I love winter, but only because I now understand the purpose of winter seasons. Trees lose all there leaves from harvest, animals burrow in order to stay warm and everything for a time...appears dead. But did you know that during winter, trees appear that way because they are resting and that is the time they grow most of their strength back before the new spring season. You might be in a place where you feel like you aren't doing anything...maybe even purposeless...your in a winter season. God throughout the Bible tells us how important rest is, but we don't listen...so He forces us into our winter seasons.... To grow our strength back, by going into solitude with him. Think of all the hard work you endured in fall, you need to rest. You might be thinking, "well, Kristy I've been in a winter season a long time..." And to that I ask "What haven't you learned." Because God will only hold you there because your missing something grand that He is trying to show you! Sometimes we can even confuse this season with depression...A few months after my wedding, I went into a winter season. I had just gotten married to the man of my dreams, started a new job, got a new home... My life had changed in every single way and it was an amazing harvest, but after things settled down, I started feeling down and lacking purpose. I allowed the enemy to get into my head and tell me I wasn't worthy of a call on my life...I struggled internally because after such a huge time of spring, summer, and autumn, I didn't realize I had to rest and recuperate...and eventually I fought myself into exhaustion with God and finally surrendered to my much needed winter season. Once you realize the benefits of this time, you actually will look forward to it haha!I want to leave off with this: when God calls you to a new season, go full force... Without looking back; because the enemy (who believes in you and your calling more than you do) will do everything in his powerful to keep you in the old one by stirring trouble, throwing obstacles, or bringing up the past...satan will try to get to you in any area of weakness that you let him... So don't look back, your never going back that way, it might have been a great season, but even better is ahead...don't waste the season you are in by looking at the ones that have come and gone. Have a wonderful Monday! God bless