Seasons change but Jesus remains the same

Hello, my beautiful sisters and Happy Fall!! .

I am so thankful for each of you and for this safe place for us all to share our hearts and the Word the Lord has given us to share in this season! We are seeing Him do great and mighty things !! Revival fires !!

Fall has to be my most favorite season of all. I am one of those girls, like Anne of Green Gables “I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” To me, Fall is such a beautiful time of year. I love watching the beautiful fall colors come to the trees. There is something about watching the leaves fall, that to me represent, the beauty of just letting things fall away. If we could view the seasons in our lives that we walk through, as a necessary season, what a difference it would make. Just letting go of past hurts, fresh wounds, and offenses brings such a freedom to our lives. It relieves the heaviness we carry around. The beauty of letting go.. the falling off of bitterness, regret, fear. All of those emotions, and feelings that hold us in bondage. Those feelings can create a stronghold in our lives if we do not, just as the Fall trees let go of their brightly colored leaves, choose to just let it go. ( Ephesians 4:31-32) There’s a beauty and freedom in letting those enemies of our soul fall away. When we walk in forgiveness and love something powerful happens in our lives. We are free to shine Jesus brighter and brighter to a dark world, that is so in need of His love and light. When we walk in forgiveness, then we are truly forgiven ourselves. (Mark 11:25) I am not saying forgiveness is easy, I’m saying because of Jesus it is possible! So in this beautiful Fall season, I encourage you to search your hearts, as I have been doing to see, “ if there be any wicked way in me .“ I ask the Lord to reveal any hidden bitterness or hurt that is lingering, hindering my effectiveness in the Kingdom. ( Psalms 139:23-24)

Let us all be as the Fall trees and watch those things fall away. Then we will experience the beauty that comes from simply letting things go. When we place those wounds in the hands of the One that heals and binds up all wounds, (Psalms 147:3) they truly can become weapons used for the Kingdom. Then and only then does Jesus shine brightly, through the once broken, now mended places of our hearts and lives. He will use our story and our scars to help someone move from the darkness of shame and despair into the light of Jesus. Just maybe, your story and my story will help someone not feel so alone. He comforts us and tells us to comfort one another. (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Jesus, help me to place my scars into your nail-scarred hands .. letting go of the wounds of yesterday, watching them fall as the autumn leaves fall from the trees every season. Help me to silence the lies the enemy whispers to me day and night about my scars and about You. Let me place those hurts in Your hands and watch You give me beauty for ashes. I believe the truth in your scars and cast down every lie the enemy brings concerning my scars. Your truth says I am loved and I am chosen. In Jesus name – Amen & Amen

• Melissa Hodges