Fall… it’s my favorite. I love summertime and swimming…watermelon and lightnin’ bugs. But, Fall…it sort of speaks to my soul. Buffalo Check is my favorite “color” and pumpkin spice is my favorite smell. One thing I love most about Fall is the changing of the leaves. The way they finally let go of that branch and turn the most beautiful colors of yellow, orange and rust seem to melt my heart in a magical way. When they fall on the roads and dance around as you drive by, it makes my soul almost dance with them.

I was admiring a tree the other day that is slowly turning from green to burnt orange. I was thinking about all the leaves that tree had seen come and go over it’s life and it got me thinking about my own life. I’ve gone through many a season in my 48 years and I’ve weathered a few storms. My branches have been blown about and my leaves have fallen to the ground year after year. But, just like that tree, God breathes new life into me time and time again allowing new leaves to grow in the bare places. When those branches broke and fell, he healed my wounds and allowed a new branch to grow in its place. I have spent a few seasons of fullness like summer, and my life has yielded beautiful colors of yellow and orange as the time to shed drew near. And, I’ve spent a few seasons where my tree remained raw and bare like a tree in the winter. But, God is so faithful and time and time again he has brought Spring to me and restored me and beautiful leaves have grown again.

I pray my life sees many more seasons, and I can honestly say that if storms blowing through bring me closer to Christ I will willingly weather them too, because I know God, without fail, will never leave me raw and bare. Hard times are…well, hard. But the harvest can’t come without the plowing of the field. So, dear friend, if you’re in a season of plowing or maybe your leaves are falling to the ground one by one take heart knowing that this season of your life was specially created for you, and God has not and will not leave you. You, sweet friend, are his precious daughter!