As the blustery March winds begin to cease, we savor the scents and sights of new beginnings, otherwise known as spring. A time when flowers begin to bloom, warm air infiltrates our days, pleasant breezes keep us company at night and the daytime sky has never been bluer.

The cold and frigid months prior almost seem to evaporate from our minds as we soak in this new season. The heavy sweaters, coats and boots are carefully placed away in storage making way for shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. The trees that modeled bare branches are now presenting shoots of color and the dark brown earth is pushing up flowers of every kind and the greenest grass you ever saw.

None of us look back to the cold winter we just experienced; instead we take in the warmth of the new day, relish it and are incredibly thankful for the change.

How similar this is to our lives as we walk through some very dark and cold times. Moments when crisis hits and seems to be right on target. We shiver in anticipation, wondering if we are going to be able to make it through this seemingly unbearable situation. We cling to our faith, our friends and hope; praying that a new day will come and freedom will be upon us!

Then, like the changing of the seasons, a break appears and the sun is present. To feel that warm glow upon your face as you close your eyes and breathe in this new found joy is beyond what words can express in written form. You feel your strength return to your body and your fears subside. You understand that it truly is darkest before the dawn and that no matter what you are going through, a new day is right around the corner.

Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”