this too shall pass

the only way it is possible to get through a season sometimes is the knowledge that it will not last forever. isn't that so encouraging? no matter how challenging the situation may be, it is wonderfully encouraging to know that it will end. i guess it would be unfair, however, to ignore the other side: good times must end as well as the hard times. and the Lord is the One who appoints each season's beginning and end.

college was always nice, because struggles would often begin and end with semesters. oh, the stress of exams! balancing lunch dates, bible studies, working out and, oh yeah, schoolwork - it built that wonderful gift called good time management. but the stresses would often end right around may and december and all those cares and worries would dissipate right into wonderful times lounging at home with family.

since college i've noticed that seasons last a little longer than they used to. their start and end dates are a bit more nebulous and entirely dependent upon the Lord. and much of those seasons, i've also noticed, i spend stressing about what exactly the Lord is doing. but the other morning i was reading in ecclesiastes, and i came upon the very well-known passage of Scripture (eccl. 3:1-8):

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

i'm so glad the Lord holds all times and seasons in His hands. but right now, i'm so thankful that spring is the next season. :) happy spring, everyone!

settling in to 2010

with some warm peppermint tea nearby, i wanted to settle in a bit and write a blog. it's been a while. how are you, friend? i feel like it's been a long time since i have been able to catch up with those i love, and i just wanted to say, 'i miss you.' we should catch up sometime. call me! or i'll call you.... probably around 4:15 MST during the week, because that's when i'm driving home from work and i have some time to say hello. :)

january 2010 is here... and i am realizing the month is well over half-way done. how can that be? it was just the new year! so now i am stopping to write before another day passes and we're already into 2011. to those i love, happy new year. i pray it is a good year for you and that God reveals His great love for you in a new and deeper way this year.

as i take stock of what this year holds, i confess my greatest joy is that 2010 is NOT 2009. is that bad? should i feel guilty for being so glad a season is OVER?! when i look back on last year, there are so many wonderful things that happened. jody and i settled in colorado, we got a puppy that we love dearly, (and want to strangle occasionally) and jody was able to successfully complete half of his master's degree at denver seminary. we found a wonderful church, where we are getting involved in and jody has developed great friendships with his mentors. at various points in the past year we were able to spend several days exploring the mountains and seeing how amazing our God is in beautiful creation.

and then there is the big 'HOWEVER'. i will also not lie. it has been a trying year. a year of laying foundations. and laying foundations is always hard, because there is no shortcut. there is no way to speed up the process. getting settled and acclimated to the workload that seminary requires takes time. finding the right church to settle into, join and start serving in takes time and much prayer. finding a job in this economy takes much prayer, faith and time. and making lasting friends (and discerning who best to invest time in) takes prayer, time and great faith! so when i look back on 2009, it was a year that took great faith and time.

this morning as i was reading in ecclesiastes, i was meditating on the fact that there is a time and season for everything. and thankfully, seasons come and go. as much as change is hard for me, and i dread sitting in a season that seems to be in flux, i take comfort that 'this too shall pass'. God is on the throne, and this season will not last forever. i especially felt that when jody completed this past semester. when that last exam was taken and final grades started coming in, i felt a release in my heart. i felt like a major milestone had been accomplished. last year was tough and required a lot of putting out without a lot of receiving. but that's what a foundation is. and it is laid with the expectation that in due season it will reap a harvest.

i don't know what 2010 holds, but i am full of hope and praying that God brings joy. i need joy in this season. so that is my prayer. God, give me joy in the midst of this season in my life, and help me to be faithful in laying the foundation You are calling me to. I do pray that, in due season, Jody and I will reap a harvest that brings You glory. Amen.

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3, 1-8

awww... how cute...

see.. it's not just jody and me. :) thank you, lauren. i couldn't resist.. it was just too good.

i want to honor my friend karen! she is a college friend (christa's roommate - see 2 previous postings). i admire and honor karen for her servant's heart. she is currently serving catholic campus ministries at william & mary and working on her master's. karen's heart beats for people and serving them in very practical ways. i would also like to comment that this quiet, unassuming girl always pulls out the most ridiculous behaviors.... like, "so christa, where's karen? i haven't seen her in a few days." - "oh, she's gone on a cruise to portugal." - "WHAT?! and she didn't tell us?!" - and "hey, where's karen this weekend?" - "uhh, she went to help the katrina victims this weekend." -"UHHHH... wow. when did she decide to do THAT?!" so yeah, karen's pretty amazing. i love her. praise God for people like karen who love Him and serve people in practical ways.

and now i just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of one month and the beginning of another! i was reading in ecclesiastes, where it says, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven... He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts..." (ecclesiastes 3:1,11a), and i have been thinking about this season in my life. it has a purpose - an eternal purpose. year 2 for me in korea. meeting jody. agreeing to marry him. preparing for marriage in practical and personal ways. this bout of laryngitis. preparing for the wedding. preparing to go to europe in september. preparing to return to korea for another year. having few clear answers. only the promise that the Lord is going to take care of us and sustain us. not just desiring to, but actively seeking to make decisions that are pleasing to God as we lay a foundation for serving Him wherever He wants.

i praise God amidst these challenges. i pray He is molding me and making me more like His Son through this season.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (matthew 6,31-34)