February 19, 2020
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” God has sovereign control over everything, and he has appointed various seasons to our lives. There are some seasons of great joy, and other seasons of unspeakable grief. Some days may seem monotonous, but the more adventurous seasons may prove harder to handle. No matter what season of life we are in, we should never be alone.
There are times of great joy and rejoicing. One beautiful thing about a Church with multiple generations is the celebrations that accompany each stage of life. We celebrate a picture of Christ and the Church when two people become one in marriage. We celebrate new life as people welcome children into their family. We welcome those who have found new life in Christ as he draws them to himself. We also have the privilege of rejoicing with those celebrating anniversaries of God’s blessings in their lives. We can learn from others as we watch them glorify God through his blessings to them. Regardless of our current circumstances, we can rejoice with those who are rejoicing! It has been my experience that we are blessed and our hearts are made lighter for rejoicing.
Some seasons we are learning, and others we are teaching. As a young Christian, wife, or mother, it is important to be open to learning from others. No matter how much experience or know-how you think you have, there is always room for learning. I remember thinking that I had everything pretty much understood when I reached the ripe old age of 12. I have since learned that I was an arrogant child that did not really understand anything. I had to learn some things the hard way-by going through them myself! While it is important to take the suggestions you receive, they will not all be as helpful as they were intended. As a new mom I often found the advice I received from one person was exactly opposite of the advice I received from someone else. I would suggest finding one or two women, with similar parenting styles and philosophies to your own, that can disciple you and help you with questions that may arise. I have been blessed with a close relationship with my mom that gives me someone to turn to when I have questions, both spiritual and practical. However, not everyone has that option. Even with my mom living in a different state, I do not always have her help right away. It has been important to me to have other close friends who are more mature and can act as my “mom away from mom” to help me when she cannot. As I grow older, I am also transitioning into a teaching role. There are other younger women and younger Christians that can use my experience and knowledge to help them learn and grow in their walk with Christ. I need to use what I have received and pass it on to them. Some days it seems easy and everything seems to work. Other days I reach the day we are scheduled to meet and don’t even know the day of the week. We just have to take things as they come and do the best with what we have been given. I try to be faithful to continue learning from those with more experience while also coming alongside to help and teach those who are younger.
The Church is also a means of extending the comfort of Christ to one another. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 tells us, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” This is the season where my family finds themselves right now. We have lost about one person a week since the second to last week of January. Some of these people have been dearly loved family members, others are the family members of people we know. Now is a time we are weeping with those who weep. While we rejoice for those who have moved on to heaven, we weep with those who are left here without them. Many of these people face not only the difficulty of losing someone they love and adjusting to life without them, but they also face funeral expenses and medical bills from the end of their life here on earth.
Whether times of joy or grief, the Church experiences life together. We are to live together, sharing all of life, good and bad. Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians is a goal we can strive for: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:12-17) Please join with us in praying for these families and, if you feel so inclined, I have included GoFundMe links below for those who have not yet raised sufficient funds.
Duckworth Family - Titus Duckworth (6/7/2013-1/21/2021)
Das Family - Julie Das (1/17/1959 - 1/31/2021)
Shank Family - Bill Shank (3/13/1957 - 2/9/2021)
Sionkiewicz Family - Wesley Sionkiewicz (9/20/2011-2/13/2021)
Thomas Family - "John" Elijah Thomas (6/17/1932-2/17/2021)