For the last year I went through a wonderful season of growth being the director of the Life Builder Women's Resource Center. I have to say it was an AMAZING season that God took me through.
I can still remember the day that I was there alone, an empty building, dirty floors, so quiet i could almost hear my own breath echo in the building because it was so empty...
I remember saying to the Lord, "Why do you have me here?"
(being a stay at home mom for 11 years and enjoying it, I was a little curious!) and He said, "Because I want you to see that you can do this from the ground up"
Wow, talk about a season! A season of true growth..we went from empty to overflowing.
There were such great times there... it makes me smile thinking "it's true when you love what your doing, it doesn't seem like work!" It never once felt like "work".
At the center ladies learned how to manage their finances, how to start their own business, some ladies came to do 1 on 1 computer training, ladies even came out to have a fun night of zumba! I was just reminded that even the zumba instructor learned that she could do a zumba class! (that story brings tears to my eyes because she was grieving her moms death when she came in my office.)
I remember it like it was yesterday..She said, "I can't volunteer right now, but when I'm better id love to help." The Lord prompt me to ask her, "What is it that you like to do?" She said, "Zumba, I have my zumba certificate to be an instructor when I retire!" I said, "Well when your ready you can do a zumba class for us! She said, "wow really? Ive never done a class before." I told her, "Than this would be a perfect place to start! You'll be in a safe place!"
For her it was a season of new things, being ready to retire, she was ready to dance! (Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.)
The year was full of so much good stuff it would take me forever to share..
But in early October an injury to my neck would put me in a whole new season, a season of healing. (Ecclesiastes 3:3 a time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up)
On November 12, I walked into the center to tear it down, pack up and get stuff ready to go to storage. Our rent free lease for 1 year was up...no new building yet, so we decided to store everything until a new building was found. It was definitely an Ecclesiastes 3:5-6 time...it was time to scatter, time to gather, time to embrace, and time to turn away, there was a time of searching and a time to quit searching, a time to keep and a time to throw away.
I find myself now in late November out at the ranch believing for rest and complete healing. In another season, Ecclesiastes 3:7 a time to tear and a time to mend. a time to be quiet and a time to speak.
Wanting nothing but to mend and be back to my old self. I have to be honest with you..I find myself asking God "Is it the old self i want or the new that I should look forward to? In this season... I'm believing for an even "better me."
If you've ever been in so much pain, you know that at times you really don't even want to speak. And at times I thought it was better that I NOT speak, fear of saying something I really didn't mean. So i stayed quiet. (that's a new me!) ;)
Though this season has been rough (pain wise) my marriage has even healed in the midst of so much pain, because there were those Ecclesiastes 3:8 moments... "a time to love and a time for hate. a time for war and a time for peace."
My husband has been so supporting in this season, and I was so surprised and proud when he mentioned and encouraged all the couples at a recent couples event, "We need to support each other in these seasons, one moment you can be lifting up your spouse and the next moment he could be lifting you up!" We need eachother!
Although we go through seasons, some good and some bad, we have to believe that God has made everything beautiful for it's own time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Pain, grief, unemployment, arguments, graduations, births, deaths, new opportunities, a finished assignment, all those things, every single one of them under heaven...has a purpose, and even though we can't see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end, we should truly find a way to enjoy and embrace EVERYTHING... for IN them are the gifts from God.
"Listen my daughter, this season shall pass, and I will continue to show you all the things that I have for you, be of good cheer, be strong and courageous, don't look to the left or to the right, but look to me, I am the one who will heal you, I am the one who loves you, I am the one who will guide you, the healing is yours, the victory is yours. Look to me."
