Author: Lauri Hawley

Street

Our house sits on a corner lot, and that little bit of street showing between the bushes is what’s left of an old driveway from when the house was built back in the 80’s. Back then there weren’t so many people living in town or driving around, but the road has become a shortcut from one main road to another. It gets quite a lot of traffic, and backing out of that spot could get quite tricky.

The street runs in front of our house, but the driveway gets no use. You can tell by the “mature” bushes growing on either side of it! Another entrance was put in on the side street years ago, where getting out isn’t quite as risky.

These days we can have one or two accidents on our corner intersection each week, especially when traffic picks up during the summer tourist season. But today it’s almost quiet enough out there for me to stand in the middle of the road and take a picture! I’m not thinking I’ll attempt it, though.

I don’t know when the driveway got moved to the side street, but I understand why it did. Change needed to happen, and someone did something about it.

This season is forcing change on many of us, whether we are comfortable with it or not, excited or filled with dread. Yes, it’s a challenge, but wrapped up in that challenge is opportunity.

What challenges are you facing today that hold within them seeds of opportunity? What will you do with the opportunities that you have been given today? If you’re wondering what steps to take, I know Someone who can help you figure it out . . .

“Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation” (Psalm 25:4-5 NLT).

Open

In the fall I planted flower bulbs, and promptly forgot what I planted. These crocuses were a welcome surprise when they popped up, and finally popped open! After the dreariness of winter, they are a sure sign that the weather really will improve.

Today is rainy, cold and windy, and my crocuses are closed up against the elements. But I have seen their promise that warmer temperatures are right around the corner! I just have to wait and be patient. There’s nothing I can do to speed things up, I simply have to wait.

Here we are, doing what we can to protect lives by staying home. There’s nothing we can do to make this process go any faster except hunker down and stay away from people. We simply have to wait.

But this season of waiting will itself come to an end one day! It won’t last forever. My flowers are a reminder that one day soon the world will open again, and we’ll be out and about visiting friends and relatives. When our freedom returns, we’ll have a new appreciation for so many things!!

Just as the world has seasons, our lives have seasons, too. Winter is not my favorite, but it passes. This season will pass in time, as well.

Thank you, God, for flowers, and for the reminder!

Head Space

In these days of uncertainty, what’s going on in that space between your ears? A maelstrom of the latest news headlines? Worries about your financial future as we navigate the coming days and weeks of virus effects on society? Fear of the unknown?

Let me encourage you, my friend, God has more for you! But it’s up to you to receive and take hold of what He offers. Here are a few things to remember.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT).

“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you“ (Philippians 4:8-9).

Your head space is just that–yours! You have a choice about what goes on in there. Today, choose to trust in your Heavenly Father, who will never leave you no matter what you face in this life. He will carry you through, even if it’s through to the other side and into heaven.

If you’re unable to leave home this weekend, find a church to join online tomorrow. If you don’t know where to start, feel free to join in with us! We will be continuing a discussion on God’s Empowering Presence, starting at 10 a.m. EDT.

We are in an uncertain season in the realm of the world. But we can live the rest of our days certain and secure in the hands of our Father.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

What will you be filling your head space with in the next days and weeks? It’s up to you, my friend!

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash