Change

Change doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't, ever - well usually - every once in  a blue moon it happens but generally it takes a long period of time with lots of work and often times change comes with some pain. Change is hard. Change takes work. Change can be frustrating even if the end result is worth it. Change sometimes just straight up sucks.

As the fall begins I feel like I am a fish swimming upstream in a lot of different areas. I think on some levels - personally and professionally - I am in a season of change - it seems to be happening all around me and in many areas I long for the change.

Personally - I am training again for a few half marathons (and couldn't be more excited) - I have goals, I have desired times I would love to hit, summer was rough in terms of training with being gone so often and traveling for church doesn't always make a run possible. I am back in the saddle and I want to do well and I want to be back to my good long runs - I enjoy them, but building up to them takes time - change is happening - my endurance is growing - it takes patience. I will get there but I want the change to happen over night.

Professionally - we have several changes going on at church - we have the Family Faith Journey coming and a new class of catechism kids (yes this happens every year but it does involve training in a new group of adults) - we have lots going on all over the place (it is exciting and terrifying).

Personally - I am getting married (it hasn't fully sunk in yet) - which is a whole new set of changes around the corner. I get to get use to having someone else in my house come June - which means I need to rearrange the closet - make room for another apartment worth of stuff - I need to be willing to compromise - change is hard and exciting.

Professionally - I am no longer in my first year (Thanks be to God) and certain things make senese and others still confuse the heck out of me. Some things are dying and out of death always comes new life but the dying process can be long and painful and new birth can also be long and painful even when it results in something beautiful.

Personally - I have ten thousand things to be thankful for - and I am.

Professionally - I have ten thousand things to be thankful for - and I am.

In the midst of it all I seem to find myself coming back to one of my favorite prayers found in the Evangelical Lutheran Book of Worship (ELW) Evening Prayer Service [I have had this prayer memorized for years and pray it daily].

"O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Giv eus faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us adn your love supportin gus; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."