Seasons come and seasons go. It seems like just as you are getting comfortable in a particular season it changes. Isn’t that just like life? There are mountains, there are valleys, there are green spaces, there are rainy seasons and there are deserts. Only one thing in my life has remained more consistent than the changing seasons and that is my Heavenly Father. 

In the desert seasons all you see is dirt for miles. There are few things that grow in this environment. It is a place of resilience where grit and just being able to be the last man/woman standing is imperative. In the desert there is always this feeling of dry parched earth in every step you take. You feel as though every drop of water is precious and life-giving. There isn’t one place in your life left untouched by the swirling dust and dirt of the desert. The journey through the desert is tough and at times it seems never ending. Yet this season is filled with opportunities to sit at the feet of your Heavenly Father and discover aspects of His character you have missed in other seasons. It is a season filled with growth even though it does not feel like it in the desert. This season is necessary so you can thrive in the other seasons of life. No one ever chooses this as their favorite season, yet once out of this season you can look back and pinpoint moments where true depth and growth occurred. 

In the Mountain season you have amazing views of the scenery around you. You can see where you have been and even where you want to go next. There are trees, flowers and ground coverings until a certain elevation, then once above the tree line it clears so you can see your surroundings. The journey to the top of the mountain may feel a lot like the desert where you feel like you are the last person standing alone on that summit. This is not an easy season, but it does not feel as dry and lonely as the desert season. This is a challenging season and yet you are prepared because of what you learned about yourself and your Heavenly Father in the desert season. Just remember you are never alone and your Heavenly Father is always with you. 

In the Valley season there are places that are filled with death and despair. There are places that seem to give reprieve from the dark spaces and yet there is never rest in the valley. Yet there is something that drives the traveler to keep moving through the valley. There is something that beckons movement just as in the desert season. There are times of provision and prosperity, but there is just something that doesn’t allow you to get comfortable while walking through this season. There is little rest while you are trying to escape the dark spaces of the valley. Traveler, you must keep moving forward. You must keep moving toward your Heavenly Father.

In the rainy season there is what seems to be a never ending downpour of water from the sky. It is always gray, dark and damp. There is seemingly no place that you can go to dry off and rest. In this season you will get wet, you will get muddy. This season is tough. You have your rain boots on and you are walking through the water and the mud, but you feel every step. You feel the pull of the mud and the muck. You might even fall or give up, but know that your Heavenly Father is walking with you helping you to pull yourself up and keep going. If you are in a place where there is a lot of rain you will typically have beautiful trees that grow tall and provide a canopy of leaves and branches. This does not shut out the rain, but it does provide some cover, but this canopy never fully blocks out the rain. In this environment you cannot survive alone. You will need a guide. Someone who knows what you are walking through and what you might face. Someone who wants the best for you in every step that you take. That someone is your Heavenly Father. When you rely on Him, He will lead you through and eventually you emerge from the canopy, the rain will stop, the skies will clear and a rainbow will appear. 

In the green spaces there is rest. In the green spaces there is restoration and refreshment. In the green spaces there is something that helps it feel like it is complete and whole. In the green spaces there is peace and rest. These green spaces make the desert, the valley, the rain and the mountain seasons seem distant. However, these green spaces are not the place for comfort and complacency. These spaces are for growth and filling. We need the green spaces to help us feel refreshed because we cannot pour out of an empty cup. We need to refill during this season because people need us to share about our journey. People need to learn what we have learned and experienced to help them keep traveling through their seasons. People need to hear our story! People need to be reminded about this journey because we all know that seasons do not last forever. Every season has a beginning and an end. Each season brings its own challenges and rewards, but they do not last forever. In the words of Dory, “Just keep swimming”!

Friend, what season do you find yourself in today? How has your Heavenly Father been walking with you and what is He equipping you for in your next season?