Dear Church Family,
Summer is quickly slipping away and fall—with its full swing of school and schedules—is here. It’s amazing how fast time seems to go by. Yet, if you’ve ever walked through deep suffering, you know time doesn’t fly at all. In fact, it can feel like it drags endlessly.
A dear friend of mine, who lost her daughter Annie two years ago this past August 24th, shared with me that when you lose someone, you never again say, “time flies.” Instead, you wish it would fly—fly to the day you’re reunited with your loved one, or to the moment you’re finally in the arms of Jesus where there is no more pain, sorrow, or separation. But suffering makes time stand still.
To be honest with you, I feel that weariness myself. I long for the day when we are changed in the twinkling of an eye, when sadness and hard decisions are no more, when the battles of the flesh are over, and when evil no longer seems to win temporary victories. I am tired of distractions, of misplaced priorities, of fighting to stay surrendered. I long for Jesus.
How about you? Are you finding true satisfaction in this world, or does it leave you empty? Are the things you’re chasing really worth the energy you’re giving them? As followers of Christ, we aren’t called to mope through life, but we are called to wake up and realize this world is temporary. Eternity is what’s real, and Jesus is waiting to give us what lasts forever.
So let’s live for eternity. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus. Let’s be about His business and put first what truly matters. I’m asking myself daily: What idols am I placing in front of my eyes instead of Jesus? My prayer is that we each surrender again to His mission.
I invite you to join me in this journey. Encourage me, and let’s encourage one another. Together, we can look forward to the day of His return—and even hasten it by the way we live.
In Christ’s hope,
Pastor Jen