Sunday, February 26, 2023

Dear God,

There are reasons for the seasons.  They are not just for nature but for the spiritual life.  Winter provides barrenness, a time when spiritual roots need to dig deeper for life-sustaining sustenance, like spiritual nutrients, living water and hidden treasures.  Spring brings new life, growth and sometimes rebirth.  Summer offers color, texture and shape for breathing in all that supplies beauty and joy.  Autumn gives opportunity for surrender of all that hinders transformation.  And we begin again with you in winter.

You reveal yourself to us in each season.  You whisper sources of hope, courage and strength.  You help us learn new songs of faith and teach us lessons for a life of humility, peace and service.  You walk with us in our journey of life blessing and inspiring us along the way.  You embrace us in every time of life through loss and sorrow, injustice and doubt, sin, repentance and forgiveness and finally through despair and triumph.  You show us you are God and we are beloved children, accepted, included and loved, every one of us.

Holy God,

thank you

for counting us

among your

beloved children.

Thank you

for each season

that touches

our lives

in ways

we could

never imagine.

Thank you

for hope

that leads us

to you

and one another.

Yours, Andrea