Embrace the Change
Words by Emily Erickson
Transition and change. I'm not the biggest fan of those words. They make me cringe just thinking about them.
A year and a half ago I had to put my big girl pants on, walk across a stage, receive my college diploma, and head back to my hometown with no set plan of what was next. I was afraid. I wasn't ready to return back to a place where my community had dramatically changed over the four years while I was away at college.
Through tears and the terrifying fear of the unknown, I decided I was going to embrace the transition and whatever God had planned for me. Easier said than done. There were lonely days: I no longer had all my closest friends at my convenience to meet up with and grab lunch at a moment's notice. The community I'd invested in for four years was changing and moving away to different parts of the United States to do different things.
As time passed, I settled into a new way of life and things started to look up. I got a job, ended up getting into graduate school, and started to form community back in my hometown.
Through it all, God met me in my weaknesses and in my hardest moments of transition. He was able to take my fear and stretch me in ways that I didn’t know I could be stretched. He was patient with me through my two-year-old tantrum moments, not wanting to lay aside my determination to have my own plan.
There came a point where I knew in my heart and soul that trusting my own plan was going to get me nowhere. Instead, I had to face the reality that my Savior goes before me and provides a way in the messiness of transition. My feeble heart had to be reminded of the Father's faithfulness and that He is worthy of my trust.
I look back on this past year and a half and now I see all the wonderful opportunities God placed in my life. He has provided so much for me through graduate school, old friendships being restored, and bringing me a wonderful community of people who have encouraged me in so many ways. Through all of this, He has revealed to me, once again, that His plans are way better than I could ever fathom.
Sweet friend, I hope that you can embrace the changes and transitions that you are going through. May you be able to trust the God of heaven and earth who holds your heart in the palms of His hands, believing He knows what is best for you.
Transition looks different for everyone and I think that is such a blessing because God is able to bring people and opportunities across all of our paths to encourage us and bring us through life-altering moments. Know that He is consistent and faithful in the changes of life.
May you be able to deeply embrace where He is taking you and flourish through this time of change.
The transition is just a season. I hope that you will be able to look back and see how far God has brought you along your journey, however that may look. He is able to create beauty in the difficulties and the unknowns.
Embrace. Trust. Flourish.
Sincerely,
Kindred