Seasons ......

Each of our lives can easily be marked by a metaphor.  For my much loved aunt, her metaphor is "cheer leader".  She has a beautiful gift of encouragement.  She is an encourager by nature and has allowed God to develop that gift even further in her life and she blesses all those she is around with it in abundance. 

My life's metaphor is "the seasons of nature".  

You see, being a country girl, I am well familiar with the ebb and flow of the seasons.  More importantly, when I contemplate the seasons and how each season works to bring to perfect fruition all growth processes, I can then begin to truly appreciate all the growing seasons in my spiritual life.

Spring is a time of new birth.  The temperatures begin warming, the grounds are watered with rain, and those things that have been planted come "springing" forth.  That new beginning is marked by our acceptance of Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives.

Summer heralds the arrival of rapid growth and warm temperatures.  These are marked by long days filled with sun, plants stretching to the heavens, producing large amounts of fruit, and a time of lushness.  This rapid growth is our maturing process as Christians.  We begin to experience relationships, discover love, and establish ourselves in a church family.

Fall is a time of gathering the harvest.  Maturity is a reality at this time and the fruits of such can be gathered by all those around.  Love has been learned and is freely shared, acts of service are a natural response, and we begin to share our learning and experiences with others.

Winter is a time of rest and dormancy.  Winter does not necessarily represent death although it can.  Winter is that time in which things are quiet and still.  That time in which we are moving neither backward nor forward.  Winter is that time when we become dormant.  We can often experience winter after times of loss or hurt.  Winter can be a healer in that the time of dormancy and is spent in restoration, preparing us to move forward into spring once more.

You see the seasons are not a single occurrence in my spiritual journey but rather a repeating process that God uses to keep me active and growing in my relationship with Him.  After all, that is the very foundation of my walk.... RELATIONSHIP.