When Winter Seems to Be Over

I'm 15 weeks pregnant today.

I'm joyful. I'm hopeful. I'm thankful. I'm thankful. I'm thankful. Did I mention I'm thankful?

I'm trying to savor every second of the privilege of carrying this precious life within me.

Last year held so much death, and the year before that the theme was hospitals and surgeries (though one was the birth of our precious Jedediah!). But both years, as all years, were years of sanctification. Years of loving this world less and Jesus more. Years of learning to praise His name in the storm and cling to Him when I felt like I was just moving from one crisis to another.

What a glorious display it is of His grace at work in us when His taking away, His putting us through the fire, leaves us loving Him all the more. I can truly say of the past couple of years, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes." Thank you, Jesus!

My breathing feels easier this side of things. I like the calm. I like that, for now, winter seems to be over.

This is my heart put into words--does your heart know this, too?

"Sometimes God cheers and comforts the hearts of His people with smiling and reviving providences, both public and personal. There are time of lifting up as well as casting down by the hand of Providence. The scene changes, the aspects of Providence are very cheerful and encouraging, their winter seems to be over. They put off their garments of mourning, and then, ah, what sweet returns are made to heaven by gracious souls! Does God lift them up by prosperity? They also will lift up their God by their praises (Psalm 18, title, and verses 1-3)."
~John Flavel
The Mystery of Providence

My sackcloth isn't fully discarded, but I'm thankful for a change of scenery. And I must declare that God didn't only give me sweet returns with the smiling providences. He gave me a heart full of praise in the midst of my mourning, too, in the dead of winter. What a gift! I remember being so overcome by grief and yet spilling over with praise to the LORD. Such grace only sharpens my senses as I journey into spring. Everywhere I look I see reasons to lift up my God with praises.

Winter will come again. It has to. God loves me, loves you, too much, to leave us in a perpetual state of spring-time bliss. He makes winter grounds prime soil for making us more like Christ.

So we breathe in deeply the smiling and reviving providences, the appearance of spring after a long winter, and thank God for the respite. Most of all, we hold tightly to the truth that whether He gives us winter or spring, whether He lifts us up or casts us down, He does all things well.

Praise His name!

With love,
Trisha