Every time the sun all of a sudden starts shining way more than usual for Seattle, and I'm wearing sunglasses from sunrise to sunset, and days are filled with the smell of sunscreen and the taste of watermelon and the sight of the ocean, I always think, Summer, yes, summer is my favorite season.
But then autumn arrives.
And every time the leaves change color and it's time to get all muddy searching for that perfect pumpkin at the patch, wear cozy scarfs and sweaters, and drink hot apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes, I always think, Fall, yes, fall is my favorite season.
But then winter arrives.
And every time the wind gets so cold you can see your breath, the snowflakes fall outside while I'm reading a book in front of the fire and a Christmas tree lights up the living room, the house fills up with the aroma of the cookies I only make during the holidays baking in the oven, I always think, Winter, yes, winter is my favorite season.
But then spring arrives.
And this year, as the daylight lasts longer and the flowers start blooming and everything black and white and brown and gray turns green and yellow and blue and pink, I know the truth. Spring is my most favorite season of them all.
I love summer, autumn, and winter. But there's just something about spring. It's like the whole earth is waking up and if you pay attention, if you take ten seconds to look up from your smartphone, you get to see it happen right before your eyes. This world God created is beyond any description I could ever write; He has truly blessed us all with a glorious place to live out these lives He has given to us. Everything that is seen makes me even more in awe of my God Who is unseen. All that is visible reveals more to me about the One who is invisible.
Just today, I went for a walk on my lunch break. I love to walk. Rain or shine, you'll find me walking - whether with my umbrella or my shades. There's a coffee shop not to far from the school where I teach and even though my Jeep's parked right there in the parking lot and it would take a ten-minute round trip to go get my vanilla latte, I would miss a lot if I did that.
Like seeing the pink cherry blossoms blooming down the street, the sparrows fluttering from tree to tree, the purple flowers replacing the brown and gray, long blades of the greenest grass shining in the gold sunshine, the color all around me that surprises me and refreshes me, and makes me realize that spring is almost here. Almost.
I think our dreams are a lot like this. God plants them in our hearts during the wintertime and for a while, that's all they are - just dreams. We wait and wait and wait for them to grow into something glorious, something that makes a difference, something that causes someone to see the beauty and life in us.
And finally, finally spring arrives and our dreams awaken and bloom. We begin to see our dreams come true. What had been buried for so long is finally revealed; what had been growing for so long is finally evident. Our dreams start to take off; our lives begin to bloom.
Yet what I'm learning is that every season is beautiful. Every season of life - not just the blooming, not just the spring. But the waiting, the working, the harvesting, the blooming. All of it is beautiful because Jesus is with us through all of it. He is beautiful and makes our lives beautiful. Every season of our lives.
I think we so often wait to enjoy life until we graduate from college or get married or publish our book or get our Master's or climb the ladder or this or that. Yet we reach that goal and soon we're pounding pavement chasing after the next.
With all of my heart, I want to see my book published for God's glory. I'm not working for my own name here. I'm working on this because I am completely and wholeheartedly passionate about this: Jesus Christ has changed my life and He can change yours. In fact, Jesus is changing my life right now. His work beautifying and perfecting me never stops and I love that. He is making me more like Him - more loving, more gracious, more holy - and it is the most exciting adventure ever.
Our culture loves a good success story. We love to hear how people achieve their dreams or made the million or started their own business or became famous or whatever it is. But if we're not careful, we'll start living for those moments and miss so many others.
Our lives aren't just about being successful or that season when all of our dreams come true. It's about all of the ones before and all the ones that will come after. The person you were, the person you're becoming, the person you will be, and also the person you are right now.
When you follow Jesus, every moment of your life has meaning and significance. Not just when you begin the ministry or graduate or write the book or get interviewed or speak in front of an audience. Everything matters and how you live through each season matters immensely. I used to think that certain things mattered more to God, but now I see that everything matters. Every person that crosses my path is dearly loved by God and if I cannot love this one person in front of me, how will I be able to love more? Every moment matters and if I spend it longing for tomorrow, what am I missing that God is doing today? Every season is significant, but if I journey through winter obsessed with spring, what will I overlook that's happening right now?
What does your life look like right now? What is God planting in your life? Instead of asking for anything else, what can you thank God for in this very minute? How can you live with a heart of gratitude to God while you obey Him and trust Him to work out all of your dreams in His perfect timing?
So, what do you do while you're waiting for your dreams to come true? Thank the One who put those dreams in your heart. God doesn't start something and not finish it. He will complete it and bring it to pass. So, enjoy the journey and thank Him for today, for this moment right now in your life. And for giving you a dream that's bigger than you and makes you rely on Him with everything you have.
Because when you think about it, that's a really good place to be.
