September

It comes around every year. I should know by now I can't avoid it. It gets a little less painful each year as God brings in more pleasant associations with the month. For awhile there I thought there I was sure God was going to allow September to be the dumped on month. Ironically my birthday falls in this month and for a while a negative memory shrouded the joy one should have in celebrating their life. However, I am so grateful for his mercy on me. There are many dates in September that have negative associations but one in particular has a deep wound associated with it. September 9th has been burned into my memories in the negative column. I was still a bit raw about this date when two years later, in 2007, it became the first official service date for the church plant we had joined. At first I thought God's was allowing this was a cruel joke. Of course, I know it is not, but at the time I was not very pleased. God used that date that was associated with something so heartwrenchingly negative to be replaced with something so heartlifting and beautiful. God's people worshipping Him and reaching out to a community that needs to hear about His story of love and forgiveness and new life. That's what He allowed on September 9th, His love to heal, His example of forgiveness and the beginning of a new life. It became a new chapter in my life. God is so good all the time and so now is September.