AfterWords | A Path Towards Trust
AfterWords is a series of reflections by contributors as they share their personal experience of God in community at The Parish on Sundays.
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A 3-Minute Read
by Jeanine Dougall
Each year, I admire how the summer green leaves sit in a posture of waiting as the autumn temperatures set in, and nature prepares a way for change. In this season, the vulnerability and obedience of the foliage is not a choice, but simply a response to our Creator’s design. It is a time so many look forward to and perhaps impatiently wait for each year.
“Autumn Leaves” by Jeanine Dougall
I find it to be a time when I focus on the ways God uses nature to remind us of His faithfulness and promises. How blessed are we to witness the leaves show off their beauty on the other side of change. Even the unique way each leaf falls from its branch and showers us with whimsical wonder is glorious. Equally wonderful are the nights when the sky is clear, and we are gifted with the stars, planets and constellations filling our night sky. We wait with confidence and expectation that His magnificence will appear; awe, curiosity and stillness follow.
“Harvest Moon” by 11th-grader Liam Dougall, taken with Celestron telescope and Nikon camera
I love that there is no guesswork in whether the sights and scents of autumn will occur, or that our night sky will be filled with recognizable stars. Instead, we simply wait and trust in God’s design to bring forth mighty splendor; fresh, crisp air, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, spectacular colors to marvel in as we move through our days, and the midnight sky opening doors to new discoveries.
Imagine if we trusted the Lord enough to allow Him to walk us through the changes we hope for within our hearts.
Imagine praising the Lord for the beauty that awaits on the other side of His transformative and restorative power He generously and graciously offers to each one of His children.
What invitations has the Lord presented to you to be vulnerable and obedient, and patiently wait in expectation for all that is to come, by trusting in His faithfulness?
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7
Want to contribute to AfterWords? From poems to paintings to a child’s drawing in Parish Kids, we welcome voices from those who call the Parish home. To learn more, email info@parishanglican.org
