Accepting Change

Good morning moms!

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Well it’s 6:15 here and the sky is just starting to get light. Fall is definitely on it’s way. I’ve moved from the deck outside to a comfy place on my striped couch by the window. I dug my slippers out and found my favorite sweater. I expect it won’t be long and I’ll move to the fireplace. Even though I hate to see the summer go, I love the change of seasons. Change is just part of life, isn’t it?

Change happens with our children, our families, and our friendships. It happens in politics and in our churches. Sometimes change is very hard. Sometimes, it hurts. Sometimes I struggle to accept change as it comes into my life and disrupts the way I like things. Sometimes, I resist—but I’m learning acceptance is better.

I’ve been thinking lately about all the changes my husband and I have been through over the past 25 years. From ministry to marriage, we’ve seen a lot of ups and downs. When I was younger, I thought I knew so much more than I do now! I didn’t know there would be so.many.changes. in my life.  From my parenting style to the realization that I had a lot of growing up to to … change has just become part of life. Isn’t it funny how the older you get the more you realize how much you DON’T know?

For example, I didn’t know how hard it would be to accept the fact that I was not going to have any more babies.  Sure, I knew it was going to happen eventually, but I was thinking it would be on my terms. Looking back, I can see that very few of the painful changes have ever happened on my terms—and many of the good ones were on God’s terms, too. His terms, His timing.

I still have so much to learn about God’s timing.

Accepting God’s timing is just part of accepting the changes that inevitably come. I find myself very nostalgic as I watch the kids grow and leave the nest we’ve spent 25 years building.  But then, I remind myself, “that’s why we built the “nest” … so that the kids could grow and leave it!  Funny, isn’t it?  As I get older, changes in my life have given me another reason to be grateful for God’s Word. His mercies are new every morning.  He is so faithful. He is trustworthy.  That means that even when I’d rather things were different, I can trust God’s heart for me. Listen to what the prophet Jeremiah said about God’s unchanging nature:

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

God never changes. He’ll see you through whatever you are facing today. His mercies are new for you right now, busy mom!

Hang on tight to the Lord in every season of life. He’ll get you through.

Thankful for an unchanging God,
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About Heidi St. John

Heidi has been married to her husband Jay since 1989. Together they have seven children and three grandchildren! The St. Johns homeschooled their kids all the way through high school. Heidi is the the author of seven books, host of the popular podcast "Off the Bench," and the founder of MomStrong International, an online community of women learning God's Word and how to apply it to every day life. She and her husband Jay are also the founders of Firmly Planted Family and the Firmly Planted Homeschool Resource Center, located in Vancouver, Washington.

14 thoughts on “Accepting Change

  1. Amelia Doak Fike

    Thank you so very much for this – I did read your blog and it ministered to my heart. Timing is so very important – God’s timing is perfect! “In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time.” God Bless!!!!

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  2. Caroline Cordle

    Some of my favourite verses. Thanks for the reminder. We’re still pretty warm here – no sweaters yet, and until this baby arrives, I can’t imagine mine will be on my back, either! 😀

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  3. Amanda

    Needed this today. I just had my 3rd child and I am having a difficult time accepting the fact that my doctor said no more children and I had to have a tubal. I had a partial placenta previa and a vasa previa with him which had me on bed rest in the hospital for 6 weeks and a c-section at 36 weeks. because of the previa’s I had to have a vertical incision. with the amount of blood lost during and after the c-section and the blood transfusion my doctor told me that there would be a high chance I wouldn’t make it thru another pregnancy so I had the tubal done. I wanted 4-6 kids. I just cant believe that I am done with that part of my life already. Gods timing is the best. He knows the plans he has for me and my family. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to blog and help those around you!

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  4. Krisjana

    How timely this is for our family! We are also a family of homeschoolers that are getting ready to start up again this week. We’ve been building our nest for 13 years and have 5 beautiful children we are training up. My husband is in the process of applying for a pastoral position and with it we are definitely facing changes. I was so blessed to read your reminder that God never changes….and He is Faithful! He will see us through all of these changes as we rest it, trust in, and rely up Him. Thank you so much for sharing what He placed upon your heart for us. Your sister is Christ. <3

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  5. Caryn

    I’m so grateful for your blogs. From being petrified to homeschool (and I was a teacher for ten years before I had my twins) to heartache over recurring financial struggles and being in a position in life that I never imagined (since we decided in 2009 that I would stay home with the girls and my husband would begin college to get a dual degree in education of which he graduated this past May) and dealing with a situation of my husband being in the wrong place @ the wrong time which has turned into a legal matter that’s been going on for 11 months now, but seeing God’s hand working (which is quite awesome, but my heart feels like it’s had enough)….I’m worn out. But, I read your blogs and the scriptures sink in and God speaks to me. I lay here in bed either reading on my iPhone or iPad and cannot stop clicking on another topic bc it looks good. God.speaks.to.me. GOD IS FAITHFUL! I CAN TRUST HIM! He is working everything out for our good as individuals and a family and bringing us closer together. This life is so hard, but what’s given me strength tonight, is that I CAN TRUST God’s heart for me, my husband, our three amazing children (identical twin girls 3 & boy 15mths). I.CAN.TRUST.HIS.HEART.

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