The Dog Days of Summer

Ah summer! When I was a kid, summer was about sleeping in, playing Kickball, Freeze Tag, Mother May I, Hide and Go Seek and Ring Around the Rosie. Summer was great because it was almost 9:00 before the street lights came on. Summer was frozen kool-aid cups and the ice cream man, flip flops and getting wet with the hose. Those were certainly the days.

Summer as an adult just doesn't have that same freedom, does it? We still have to work and pay bills and deal with folks. There's no vacation from life. Well this summer is over and boy am I glad about it. For me, this was definitely the "summer of my discontent!"

"For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer" Psalm 32:4

I don't know about you, but I've been going through it this summer. I mean going through like nobody's business. There were bad days and then there were awful days. There were times when I couldn't see a reason to get out of the bed and times when I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to make it. But you know what? I am.

Through all of it, through the tears and fears, I AM MAKING IT! I stay on my knees, argue with God, plead with Him for relief and sometimes give Him the cold shoulder. But I stay on those knees, praising and worshipping. I sought Him everywhere and found Him where I least expected....holding me.

He's teaching me about me, showing me who I am in Him and reminding me of His promise for me. He speaks and I listen. He tells me stand and I stand. He tells me to stop focusing on others and I keep my eyes on Him. He tells me it isn't going to be easy and I know His grace is sufficient. He tells me that He loves me and I accept. He never stops blessing. He started this blog and gives me "words to speak" to quote singer Aaron Shust. And thank God, He's not through with me yet.

So it's officially Autumn. Now what?

"Then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil." Deuteronomy 11:14

Now is the season for a refreshing rain from the Lord. A time of reaping the harvest of His promises. New wine, new oil, new joy, new peace, new beginnings, new mercies.

"Passing through the Valley of Baca (Weeping), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills the pools with blessings" Psalm 84:6

It was a tough season. I didn't just pass through the valley of weeping, I set up house and stayed a while. But those tears create a spring of blessings. God captures my tears in a bottle and will pour them out as a fresh anointing over my life.

"Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before." Joel 2:34.

It's fall. So let it fall.

Let anger fall
Let strongholds fall
Let walls fall
Let resentment fall
Let anxiety fall
Let fear fall
Let distrust fall

Ring around the rosy.
A pocket full of posies.
Ashes, ashes
LET IT ALL FALL DOWN!

In love,
Mona