In season - Out of season!

Lord, You are my shield, my strength, my portion, my deliverer, my shelter, my strong tower, my very present help in time of need. Thank You.



Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts to the Lord.

Monday we read that things come and go in our lives like the Bible says 'and it came to pass.' Tuesday we read that there is a time for all things - a time to be born - a time to die - a time to plant - a time to harvest - a time for all things under heaven. We also read that we are to be happy during these seasons of life because God has appointed these seasons for us.

So many times during these seasons, we get to thinking that we are stuck in a particular unattractive time and will never get out of it. That is where Hebrews 11:1 comes in which says Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.

In other words we have to put on shoes of faith and keep on walking believing that we will see the thing we hope for even though it is invisible at this time.

Ephesians 6 tells us about putting on the armor of God so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. In this scripture faith does not have shoes it is an armor to hold in front of us to protect us again the flaming arrows of the evil one.

My little granddaughters got skates for Christmas. Makayla just got right up and started skating like she had been doing it all her life. Ashley, on the other hand, has had a really hard time. I noticed it first when she was clinging to the post out by the stairwell....white in the face...that those beautiful shoes with rollers was going to roll right out from under her. She is doing better but still has a ways to go.

'Now faith' is kinda like that - sometimes we aren't sure at all where we are going, and how we are going to get there. But (there's the but) that is what faith is. Following the leading of the Lord no matter if we can see the destination or not. Sometimes it can get kinda scary but we can't take off our shoes and sit down and do nothing. We have to keep on keeping on.

God told Abraham to take his huge family and move to a land that God would show him. Abraham obeyed not knowing where he was going. What faith it took to just up and follow God.

We may not have an amazing journey to take like Abraham did, but 'now faith' is walking life out - every season - season in, season out.

Delightful has started to college. I am so proud of her. She has taken a baby step - just one class - one night - but her dream is to be a nurse. Right now she can't see anything in her mind but being a nurse - she has started taking that baby step toward her goal - her season - and it will come to pass that one day she will walk across that stage - get her diploma and become a nurse as she has always dreamed.

Her season right now is to go to school and study to show herself approved - a workmen who will be a wonderful nurse.

The scripture we looked at yesterday is telling us to be happy in season and out of season because this is part of life. The challenges - the up and downs - the tests -the adventure of it all.

Bill has a very positive attitude toward life. He enjoys the new things he does. One time we were talking about when he was in the service. I made the comment that I bet that a particular situation must have been hard and his reply was 'no, I enjoyed it!'

To enjoy the challenges of life and be up to it.

Lord, help us to accept the challenges that come our way this day. Help us to be happy and positive in our journey for the seasons of life You bring our way. In Jesus name. Amen (it is done)

Have a good day!

Charlotte