The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Seasons of Life" for Thursday, 3 November 2016 with Scripture: Isaiah 41:5-10

The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Seasons of Life" for Thursday, 3 November 2016 with Scripture: Isaiah 41:5 The coastlands have seen and became afraid.
The ends of the earth have trembled.
They have approached, and now they have come.
6 Every one helps his fellow workman,
everyone says to his brother, “Be strong!”
7 The woodworker encourages the goldsmith,
the polisher encourages the hammerer;
he says of the soldering, “Yes, that’s good,”
then puts nails in [the idol] to keep it from moving.
8 “But you, Isra’el, my servant;
Ya‘akov, whom I have chosen,
descendants of Avraham my friend,
9 I have taken you from the ends of the earth,
summoned you from its most distant parts
and said to you, ‘You are my servant’ —
I have chosen you, not rejected you.
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you;
don’t be distressed, for I am your God.
I give you strength, I give you help,
I support you with my victorious right hand.
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[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.[Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)]
Last week I had dinner with a longtime friend. During our conversation, my friend said she realized we are in the autumn of our lives. Initially this made me feel sad, as I sometimes fear the passing of time and the thought of death. The reality is that most of my life is behind me now.
But this morning, I am sitting here looking out my window at the glorious display of golden leaves falling from the large maple tree in our front yard. The sun highlights the leaves as they gently fall, and I am reminded that autumn is my favorite season. It’s a time for slowing down and gathering in. I am spellbound by the beauty of God’s plan for the cycle of nature and the seasons of life. So I will try to be at peace in this autumn of my life. It is a beautiful season, with a colorful mix of joy and sadness.
God still has work for us to do, so we can slow down, sit quietly, and listen for guidance. We can trust in God’s perfect timing and assurance to be with us in our fears. We can find comfort in God’s promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Read more from the author, here."More from Betsy Thompson"

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”(James 1:2-4).
It’s been just over two years since I wrote today’s devotion and once again, autumn is in its full glory. I described this season of life as a colorful mix of joy and sadness, and that’s what these last two years have been for my family.
In December 2014, our daughter, Sarah, got engaged to Ben, and we looked forward with joy to planning their wedding. Then in March 2015, my husband’s business development position was eliminated, and suddenly he was unemployed. In spite of that, Sarah and Ben’s wedding day on December 19, 2015 was a beautiful, joyful day celebrated with family and friends.
In May of this year, my mom passed away from Alzheimers. Along with the deep sorrow, we experienced the joy of knowing that she was finally with Jesus, suffering no more.
In August, we sold our home of 16 years and temporarily moved in with our oldest daughter as my husband continued his job search. He recently accepted a position and we will be moving to area near Nashville, TN in a few months.
We have experienced many losses over the last two years. At times I lost hope that my husband would find a job at his age. I have worried about our retirement and our ability to support ourselves in later years. I continued to work, which thankfully provided our medical benefits and a monthly income. We have become more frugal out of necessity and have simplified our lives in many ways.

Yes, this season of my life has had its share of sadness. But here’s the amazing thing: this season has also brought me closer to God than I have ever been. To try to overcome my fears, I turned to the Bible and found words of assurance and hope that I had read many times over the years, but which now brought a deep sense of comfort and trust. I wrote many verses down on index cards that I keep by the bed, and when fear sets in, even in the middle of the night, I read those words of promise and pray to God with thanksgiving for the many gifts in my life. I turn my fears over to God, and his peace fills my heart, mind, and soul every single time.
I have discovered that fear is a lack of trust in God’s promises. I have learned to have faith that God’s timing is perfect, and that he has a plan for our lives. God knows the future, and in fact he is already there. This gives me such hope.
I believe there are seasons when God needs to get our attention in order to draw us closer. I continue to listen for the still, small voice and look forward to seeing what the Lord has planned for us in years to come. These last two years have been a time of such growth for me, and I count every moment, even the sad ones, as pure joy.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”(Romans 12:12).[Betsy Thompson]
The Author: Betsy Thompson (Indiana, USA)
Thought for the Day: God is with us during all the seasons of our lives.
Prayer: Gracious God, we thank you for the beauty of your earth and for the seasons of our lives. Help us to come to you with our fears, knowing that you will strengthen and uphold us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus: THOSE WHO FEAR AGING AND DEATH-------