Graduation -- Beginnings and endings
This is the time of year for graduations. It’s a big year for our family, as our oldest grandson will be graduating from high school on a Thursday and headed to the Air Force Academy 4 days later! Despite the pandemic he has had a wonderful high school experience including lots of intense AP classes, his track team going all the way to Nationals, and being a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes that met at his school. But now is a time of commencement—a new beginning, a clean slate. They call freshmen “doolies” at the Academy—lots of pushups are in store for him and lots of long runs. Physical endurance will be needed, as well as spiritual, mental and emotional endurance.
This is true of our lives, too. Weekly, monthly, any time at all, there are new beginnings, commencements, times we must start anew. Often these “commencements” are not of our choosing. And often they require us to rise above difficulties that will grow us to become stronger physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We “commence” dealing with a physical health condition and focus on gaining physical strength to persevere through it. We start needing to help a loved one deal with something difficult, leaning into God for the emotional strength to help them. We “graduate” from being a couple to being parents—that surely requires endurance. We graduate to being empty-nesters after years of nurturing the children God has given us. This requires its own kind of endurance.
But one thing we can know for sure - God will be with us through every beginning and every ending. He will give us the strength for one day at a time, one pushup at a time, one emotional challenge at a time. This is emphasized again and again in Scripture: 2 Chronicles 13:12 “God is with us ; he is our leader.” 2 Chronicles 32:8 “With us is the Lord our God to help us fight our battles.” Psalm 46:7 “The Lord Almighty is with us ; the God of Jacob is our synthroidnews.net .” And most importantly: Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him “Immanuel” (which means God with us.)” We do not face any endings or any beginnings alone. God will be with my grandson as he faces the physical, mental and emotional challenges of the Academy and he will be with you in the beginning challenges you are facing right now. Step into your “commencements” knowing that he is with you. He will never leave you or forsake you.
What new beginning are you stepping into right now? Will you look to God to be with you and guide you through it?
By Jeannie Blocher, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Jeannie and her husband Roy Blocher founded Body & Soul® in 1981 and she currently serves as the Director of Spiritual Impact, leading a dedicated team of Instructors in creating spiritual resources for the ministry. Jeannie loves spending time with family, which now includes 9 grandchildren, spread over three states. She loves encouraging both family and Body & Soul® friends to grow in faith & fitness!
