Guest Blog: Erin Stevens

Season Of Change

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” -Psalm 37:4 (KJV)

Life is budding all around us. The chill of winter is coming to a close, and the tantalizing scent of spring is upon us once again.  I’m sure you’ve realized much as I have that life is all about a six letter word we tend to shudder at the thought of:  Change.  As someone once said, “The only thing that is a constant is change.” 

Just take a moment to step outside and look around you.  The robins are singing their happy song, the grass is growing too quickly for our liking, and the flowers you planted 8 years ago somehow know to peek their heads through the fresh dirt just like they did all the years before. 

Christ did this for us. I’m definitely not the first to say that He very well could have made this world black and white and boring all over…but He didn’t!  The flowers growing in your back yard cannot praise their Creator.  If He took the time to create thousands upon thousands of flower families for us to simply enjoy, how much more important are you to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?  Delight yourself in Him and He WILL give you the desires of your heart. 

Keep His praise on your lips as you’re walking the dog, vacuuming the kitchen, driving to the mall, or even while brushing your teeth.  I never understood how my amazing, God-fearing, 85-year-old grandfather could actually pray all day without stopping.  I’d think to myself,  “Okay, I really love God, but how on earth is it possible for me to have a constant, ongoing chat with the One who created matter and everything” – I mean seriously!

I can honestly say it has only been recently in life that I have begun to understand what my wise grandpa was actually talking about.  Christ is longing for our fellowship.  He is a gentleman, so He is not going to push, shove, or kick the door down to get in; He’s just waiting for you to invite Him to sit down and share a morning mug of coffee together everyday.  (Side note: Oh, I do hope the Creator of the Universe likes coffee! That’s for all you coffee lovers out there with me.) 

I’ll willingly admit I have walked painful roads in my short life that I would never wish upon anyone.  It’s only been in those dark hours where I began the beautiful habit of crying out to my Lord. Then, I did it out of desperation, but soon I discovered that Jesus is not all that I need anymore, He is truly ALL that I have. 

His praise lives on my lips every moment of every day.  I am delighting myself in Him like I never thought possible.  I may not have it totally down pat like my grandfather, but if I start now, who knows where I’ll be by the time I reach 85?

Another scripture that ties in so perfectly with today’s topic is 1 Corinthians 2:9b (NLT) that says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.”  I know change can be hard; trust me I really do!  It is all about attitude and perspective. 

“Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5b (NKJV) Your weeping will continue if you don’t begin to take that burden off your shoulders that says, “I can do this by myself without anyone’s help!” and place it on the One whose shoulders are strong enough to carry the entire world’s hurts and painful, unexpected changes.  You will be amazed at how quickly your morning joy will soon come.

I challenge you to delight yourself in Him and love the Lord your God, and watch how “change” starts to become easier to bear. Remember, “Nothing Takes Him By Surprise.”

Maybe reading this today has inspired you to draw closer to the Lord this Spring, maybe it has just confirmed in your heart what you were already striving towards, or maybe you feel the spontaneous urge to run to Walmart and fill your cart with flowers to take home and watch how new life begins to spring up all around your home.

But whatever you do… Delight yourself in the Lord; try it, you’ll see what I mean.

And that’s my take on it.

Photographs shown above by Photos For Keeps by Erin

Erin Stevens

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Throughout 2013, SGMRadio is posting guest blogs from Christian writers across the nation and across the world. Some of these writers are musicians, some are photographers, some are philosophers. We hope that you embrace each one as they give a part of themselves to our world.

For this blog, SGMRadio hopes you will welcome with us, guest blogger Erin Stevens of The Stevens Family who has given us inspiration to embrace each new season of life. We hope you take the time to read and consider Erin’s encouragement to you today. Please access The Stevens Family’s website and don’t forget to leave Erin a note by email erin.stevensfamily@gmail.com and thank her for her contribution to SGMRadio and our world.

Erin Steven’s Bio

Erin Stevens is a uniquely talented 18-year-old shutterbug, singer, guitar player, blogger and social networker.  She is the owner of the photography business Photos For Keeps By Erin.  She also travels in full-time Gospel music ministry with The Stevens Family.  Photography is her passion, and singing for Christ is her calling.  Check out her photography website www.photosforkeepsbyerin.com and her family group’s website www.stevensfamilymusic.com.