We are a few days out from officially welcoming the Autumn season and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it!  I do my best to personally follow along with the weeks in the Seasonal Journal, but I have to admit I’ve been taking in the words and art in the Autumn journal this week because I’m so ready to jump in!

I know many of you feel the same and have your journal or it’s on the way. And you can jump in at any time! The words and message of the season are yours to be taken in at whatever pace or whenever you decide.

The greatest intention on my part with creating the seasonal journal is the invitation… to be still and connect with your creator. And I share about that in greater depth in the previous episode if you haven’t had a chance to listen to that one yet…I hope you will go back and do that when you can.

A day or so after I recorded that episode this invitation of connection and and spending time with God was obviously still in my heart and mind and I had this thought…was the first attack/move of the enemy ultimately about causing separation from God.

I’m not overlooking the sin and choice of eating the fruit leading their eyes to being opened and to recognizing good and evil.

But what my mind was going to was Eve and Adam’s reaction and response after that choice.

Genesis 3:6-10

These verses are always so sad to me…

Reading how they hid from God.

And sad because I can see how we can still do that today…

The enemy of our souls is always looking to kill steal and destroy us.

And that plays out in many different ways in each of our lives.

The accuser plays on our weaknesses.

And is relentless with distractions to keep us from living the life we were created for

The greatest ploy and plan is no different than that we read in the book of Genesis.

A plan to clothe us with shame and separate us from God.

The way he does that is our lives can be so subtle 

Even clothed in what appears good

This is why our looking to God has to be above and over the voice or any other!

I mentioned what makes me sad in these verses but here’s something that is such a beautiful picture of the goodness and love of our God.

Adam and Eve’s choice and sin caused them to hide in shame.

But God still pursued a relationship with them.

He called out to them asking where they were and why they were hiding…

So yes, we can clearly see that there are consequences to our sin but our God’s heart was still for relationship and restoration.

And that is his heart for you today.

From the start he created you and I to be his family.

To be in relationship and co-labor with him in the earth.

He longs to spend time with you and speak to you.

Set aside moments as well as in and out of the moments of your day.

Maybe that invitation to get still and connect with your Creator feels intimidating 

Maybe shame is telling you a story about God that isn’t true.

If that’s you and it can be all of us at times…

Can I extend the invitation once again to you to be still and allow the spirit of God to speak into your spirit as only he can?

And, may I remind you that you are loved

You are so loved, friend!  Forever and always

I pray you receive that into your spirit today and walk in the confidence of that perfect love!

I love you guys and don’t forget you can find ordering info for the Autumn Journal in the show notes as well as other information.

Have a great weekend! Talk soon!