Because God was There

I went on a walk the other day along the path to the river. I love my little town and all the nice places to walk. The path is bursting with spring and, with my allergies, it's a bit like walking through a mine field.  A really beautiful, lovely mine field.

I had my earbuds in and walked at a leisurely pace, listening to some Hillsong United.

In a few days we'll get the keys to our very first house, and the joy is tangible. The week we'll wait to get our keys feels so short, yet infinitely long. As I anticipate this exciting change, I see a season ending: the chapter in our apartment in the trees.

In my adult life, I've always thought of moves as ends and beginnings of chapters. As they've ended, my chapters have always had clear themes. So far. This season seems less clear. I try to gather crucial moments in my mind: I see our living room full of friends, and quiet mornings in the high-ceilinged living room with the sun streaming in.

What really did happen in our two years in the trees? What's the main takeaway? What was God up to? I am so analytical of my thoughts and feelings that I have trouble not having clear answers to these questions.

As I walked along, I accepted that even though I don't completely understand this closing chapter yet, I know it was good because God was there. He's writing a really, really good story. And even if I don't understand what the purpose of each chapter was, even if there's no neat summary or especially iconic quotes, it's a part of his story. And maybe, just maybe, I'll have a grasp of the answers to the chapter's big questions later.

I remembered, and felt a joy in my heart, to see that he is a very present God. In all chapters, in all seasons, on all walks through mine fields... God is here. And he is good, and that makes all my chapters good.

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. -2 Peter 1:3