Changes

Relaxed with a New Perspective

I'm bacckkkkk! I had one of the BEST vacations of my entire life ! Within such a short space of time I was able to learn so much about myself and others. God really used the time to bless me and to encourage others in their walk of life. Yay! It's the ending of the school year, graduations, my birthday, etc., But I have come to realize that now that I am back, I have been faced with a lot of changes and so this will be my discussion for today.

Websters Dictionary defines change as:
- to make radically different; to replace with another; to give a different course, position or direction.

How do you feel about change?

In the book of eccelesiates it talks about the changes of life. The author notes: "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiates 3:1. We face changes in the weather, the seasons of the year and with the relationships and seasons of our lives. Change is something to be expected but at times it may be something that we wish to ignore or resist. We often resist because we enjoy our comfort zones but it is the changes that we experience that develops character and perserverance within us. God knows what he has placed within us and so when we face changes we can resist fear embrace his words: " I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13.

Each persons situation is different and so for this reason we react in different ways to change. It is not always easy to walk on water, or in my case... let go of the life raft! lol. I will give you one example of a change I went through on my trip. For the first time in my life I went snorkling and I can say, it was like a whole new world to me. At first, I was gung-ho about doing it. Then, when I was in the middle of the ocean and the reality became clear to me "What am I doing? I don't know how to swim!" I began to resist the change. I was then faced with the decision of either getting into the water, or staying on the boat and missing the experience. Step one: Get out of the BOAT NATASHA! It was a struggle, would I embrace the change or embrace the fear of the change?

Once I did embrace the change, I began to enjoy floating on the water. But then another change came: PUT ON YOUR SNORKEL EQUIPMENT! I did that, but then got frightened about breathing through my mouth. With the help of others, I began to take my time and learn how to do it. For someone, who's birthday is at the end of the month and in their "20's", I really had to trust God and others through the changes that I was going through. But can I tell you, once I got it down packed I enjoyed seeing the fishes in the bottom of the ocean. There were so many fishes with different sizes and colours. There were yellows, black and purples, silvers, greens and stripped. I went off on my own, not once thinking about the fact that I was once afraid to embrace the change.

I may not know what you are facing or what decision that you have to make, but I want to encourage you: Embrace the changes that the Lord has put before you. It may seem as a challenge at first, but his plan for your life will stretch you and grow you to be all that He has designed you to be. You are special to Him and deeply loved.

Natasha