By Eva Marianne
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10–11).
I grew up in the countryside, in a small village surrounded by two big lakes and lots of forest. The forest was our playground and the place where we children spent most of our time. We would often make small huts from fir branches and playfully pretend we were cowboys and Indians. In the summer, we would all meet at one of the lakes to swim and play in the refreshing water. Nature was part of my life and where I got to know and experience so much beauty and freedom.
When I grew up, I very much enjoyed being in the rain with my umbrella, and when winter came, I loved the feeling of soft snowflakes falling on my face. I enjoyed the change of seasons and the weather that it brought. I felt that I was surrounded by something special and I wanted to be part of it all, to experience the beauty of nature and its power.
Winter came very suddenly last year, near the end of autumn. Everything was so gray and dark. Then one day it started to snow, and the little child in me felt the urge to get my coat on and go outside to enjoy the beautiful snow coming down.
It was late afternoon and it was getting dark, but the white snow covering the ground and the lovely snowflakes in the air made everything look bright. It felt so good to be outside, it was a beautiful moment! I decided to walk a little further, and by then, the snow was covering my boots and the path I was walking on. I felt like I was in a real winter wonderland. After a while, the wind began to blow, and the soft snow turned into a blizzard. It was time to go back home.
I started walking a bit faster, eager to get home. The blizzard was getting stronger, and snow filled my eyes, but down the road, I could see another person coming toward me. It was a young man dressed in shorts and leggings and a light jacket. He was jogging and happily talking on his phone. The blizzard did not affect him at all! I smiled to myself at this funny encounter. Crossing paths with him gave me that extra umph to keep on walking and to enjoy the last part of my wintry stroll. I got home safely. Brushing off all the snow, I was so thankful to be back in my warm house.
Reflecting on the many changes in nature and its seasons, I must say that I enjoy it all! I welcome the sunshine and the rain, the cold and the snow, and how it all brings so much beauty into our lives and nature. Even the strong winds and blizzards play a part and have purpose. As the Bible says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Of course, we sure appreciate it when the storms stop and the sunshine comes out again to warm the earth.
My life has been full of changes, and though difficult at times, each has ended up working together for good. At times it didn’t seem like it to begin with, but in the end, good eventually came from what looked bad. As God’s Word says, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
I am referring to times of sickness and poor health that I experienced, a serious accident with our child, difficulties in relationships, moving to new places and starting life over again, the joy and difficulties in raising a large family, and the tears as our adult kids moved out and on with their lives, etc. I am learning that it is through change that we can grow. We can go from stage to stage in life, and in each season, see something new, and from that place we become prepared to take the next step.
I think the many changes of nature have helped prepare me to embrace what comes into my life. I’ve learned to appreciate life and to say “thank you” even when it hurts. Today I can clearly see that we have a dear Father who is in control. He sees and understands and knows what will be best for us in every situation.
Because everything changes around me, I can choose to learn, to grow, and to go forward. Yesterday is past, and there is no need to stay there or to regret what could have been different. We can bring with us what we learned from any mistakes and then look forward to what will come. I have learned not to be condemned for my past mistakes, but to forgive myself and others, and go with the flow and look forward to the good that will come. Today, in my older age, I am learning to welcome change and to trust that it will turn out for the best, as all things eventually work together for the good of those who love Him.
Changes in our lives, our bodies, our relationships, and our community can cause us to fear or to feel uncomfortable because we do not know the outcome. I can see this so clearly in my life, as both my husband and I are growing older. Our bodies often ache, our energy is not the same as it used to be, and we need more rest and time just to go slow. Despite this, we are both learning to remember our many blessings in life and to focus on what matters, such as our dear children and grandchildren and our friends. They are all so precious and of great value.
Facing changes with an attitude of thankfulness and even excitement has helped us both to look forward to each and every day. The times that we do face difficulties and “stronger winds” remind us to look to our faithful Father for the help that we need. At times He might also bring along another person to be an encouragement and to give that extra umph to help us to keep on going. And we can also be an encouragement to someone in need. Good will come as we keep our eyes on our Father. What a relief and a blessing!
I look forward to the next change in my life and in nature, too, and will remember that if I face a storm, it will be for a good purpose and will help me to grow stronger. I am always loved and safe in His hands. What a wonderful thing to know!
“Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be.”—B.K.S. Iyengar
“Life is about change, sometimes it is painful, sometimes it is beautiful, but most of the time it is both.”—Kristin Kreuk
