This Season of Preparation

The weeks drag on for Mackenzy. She wrestles with her heart. With her fiance over 400 miles away, both of them working lots of hours, taking lots of classes, and having schedules that are mostly opposites, phone calls are few and far between, and it makes the waiting harder for her. She misses him. He misses her. And it's easy for them to just want the waiting to hurry up and be over.


Plans for the wedding are progressing. We have lots of the big pieces in place, but there are still millions of tiny details to determine. And during all the planning and working and studying, preparations need to be made in their hearts.


It's always a transition, learning to live together. It requires so much Grace. Even when you are deeply in Love, there will be sharp edges that need to be smoothed away. Preparing your heart to humbly walk the path of becoming one requires lots of prayer.


And that's what we are encouraging Mackenzy to do: trust the Lord for His Purposes in this season and don't miss the lessons available in the next few months.


During seasons that are unpleasant, the temptation is to wish them away. We can be tempted to shift into a survival mentality, planning to go through the motions, hoping the time will pass quickly and the unpleasant season will be over. 


But if we succumb to that temptation, we can miss learning things the Lord has for us in those unique times and circumstances. As students in His Classroom during this life, there are always lessons to be learned, Blessings to be found in His work on our hearts. 


Are our eyes open?


Do we expect Him to teach us in every situation? Every season?


The rate of our growth toward spiritual maturity is directly affected by our attentiveness "in class." When we expect lessons, we can often see Purpose where we otherwise would only chafe under unpleasant circumstances. 


There's always a lesson to learn that will help make us more into the image of Christ and to better prepare us for what lies ahead. Are we being good "students?"


Mackenzy is learning. And so are we. During these last few months with her living at home, we don't want to miss any lessons He has for us.


May we each walk in Wisdom, trusting His Purpose in all the circumstances He allows into our lives.