Today is the first 75-degree day of the year. I’m typing this post from our picnic table, my kids are playing in the yard, and my husband is working on his fishing boat. Though it may not be true on the calendar, for me, today is the first day of spring. But for now, I’m enjoying today. Because with it, feelings of hope and joy are ushered into my spirit.
Right now, I think hope and joy are something we all need to cling to as we trust God is in control!
Isn’t it beautiful and awe-inspiring the way our God created seasons? He is the original flame of creativity that placed that spark in all of us. And none of His works are more beautiful to me than the revolving seasons, which each year, right in the nick of time, part the clouds and bring us spring.
Earlier today I stepped outside and heard the birds chirping, felt the sun beaming down on my pale skin, and was reminded that our God is so faithful. After a long, freezing winter, and in the midst of a “season of turmoil” He brought us this beloved season once again.
I have friends who are going through excruciating trials right now—things I can’t imagine or even empathize with. But I’m hopeful that in the coming weeks, they’ll hear the birds sing and remember that God rejoices over them with singing (Zephaniah 3:17); that they’ll see the flowers and trees bloom and remember that as beautifully as those flowers are clothed, God cares for them, His image-bearers, so much more (Matthew 6:28-30). And that they’ll feel the warm sun beat down on their bodies and know that God himself is shining upon them (Numbers 6:25-26).
I hope they believe, deep down in their hearts, what Jesus says in John.
[verse reference=”John 14:18″]I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. (KJV)[/verse]
And they’ll realize that hope is on the horizon.
Kelcie Huffstickler has a B.S. in Journalism from Arkansas State University and has written for a number of family publications and websites. She and her high-school-sweetheart hubby have been married for seven years and parents for four. They have two daughters, Eden and Selah, and sometimes feel like they’re swimming upstream in the toddler years. Kelcie’s husband is a firefighter, and she works part-time as a high school abstinence education instructor. Despite feeling overwhelmed by this stage of life, Kelcie is committed to intentional parenting and passing a heritage of faith to her children. She enjoys living among family in the safety of a small town and writes about it on her blog This Beautiful Inheritance. @Kelciehuff
Wonderful post! Thank you for sharing!
Well said, Kelcie. 🙂