October is here, and we all know what that means. Fall is in full swing,school is in session, our tans are fading, the pools are closing and our iced lemonades are turning into pumpkin spice lattes. Even though the weather may not support it, I am so ready to dive into this cozy fall season.
Fall is my favorite season. I love the way the weather gets crisp and cool, the colors become warm, and my sweaters can finally come out of hiding in the back of my closet. Rainy weather, soft folk music, warm sweaters and pumpkin drinks are pretty much the best combination of things to exist ever, right? I could go on for days about watching fall movies, going to the pumpkin patch, on hay rides and trick-or-treating. However, these wonderful things are not even half of the reason I love autumn.
I especially love all the ways God reveals himself during the fall season. Trees are like humans. You may hear that and think “not another one of these analogies,” but bear with me. Trees must lose their leaves during each fall season in order to grow back healthier in the spring. We see these seemingly beautiful leaves falling off of these trees, because while they are pretty on the outside, they cannot continue a healthy life cycle if they do not shed their dead leaves. Is not this similar to how God shapes and uses us? He often seems to take things out of our lives in order to bring us back to our simple natures. When we just spend time being pruned by Him, we are able to acknowledge that He is all we need, and thus, we are able to make room for the wonderful things He can do in our lives. We have to be willing to let go of the things and thoughts that keep us chained and surrender to the process God has laid out for us.
I pray that this fall brings us peace and comfort in knowing that our God is shaping us into exactly what He is calling us to be if we only allow Him. I pray that this fall will be full of community, laughter, thanksgiving and simple joys.
“Who knows, perhaps you were created for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14