What Season Are You In
Autumn has always been my favorite season.
There’s something about the crispness in the air, the beautiful colors of the changing leaves, and the familiar aromas of pumpkin spice, warm apple cider, and cinnamon that makes everything feel a little warmer and cozier. I love the nostalgia of campfires on cool evenings, the smell of woodsmoke, harvest festivals, hayrides, warm sweaters, and gathering with friends and family.
But autumn also reminds me that change can be beautiful.
Just as we experience seasons in nature, we experience seasons in life. Some are our favorites. Others, if we’re being truthful, we would gladly skip altogether.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us:
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
There are seasons of growth and seasons of waiting. Seasons when we flourish and seasons when we need pruning. There are times when God asks us to let go of things we have carried far too long…old habits, disappointments, expectations, fears, or even plans we thought were meant for us.
Jesus speaks about this kind of growth in John 15:2:
“Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
Pruning isn’t always comfortable. Letting go rarely is. But sometimes what feels like loss is actually God making room for new growth.
Look at the trees in autumn. They don’t fight to hold onto every leaf. There comes a time when they simply let go, preparing for another season that will eventually bring new life.
Maybe there’s a lesson for us in that.
Volunteering can be part of our changing seasons, too. Sometimes we enter someone’s life during a season when they need friendship, encouragement, laughter, companionship, or simply someone willing to spend time with them. And often, while we think we are there to make a difference in their life, God uses that relationship to grow something in us.
At Echoing Hills, volunteering isn’t simply about filling a need or completing a task. It’s about connection. It’s about helping people live, learn, connect, play, and worship while recognizing the gifts, interests, personalities, and purpose God has placed within each person.
Maybe this season is asking you to grow.
Maybe it’s asking you to let go.
Or perhaps it’s asking you to give; to share a little of your time, talents, friendship, and heart with someone else.
As the leaves begin to change this fall, take a moment to consider the season you’re in.
What might God be asking you to do with it?
