Changes

 Remember that song by David Bowie "Changes"?  That was a big hit when I was a teenager.
     
                                  "I still don't know what I was waiting for
                                   And my time was running wild
                                  A million dead-end streets
                                 Every time I thought I'd got it made
                                 It seemed the taste was not so sweet..."


How many times in my life have I felt this way?  A lot.  You know things are about to spin you around in a different direction, yet you have your foot to the floor on the brake pedal doing everything you can to stop it, but you can't.  When your foot is on the brakes trying to stop the inevitable you go in the wrong direction, down the "wrong street".  Many times, like the lyrics say it's a dead end, so you have to back up and try again.  Then just when you think it's all good, you figure out that it's still not the right direction.  This has been my experience on more than one occasion.

I knew a while ago that my life was moving in a different direction.  It's exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time.  This time I decided rather than resist the change I would go with it, see where the road was going, listen to that "still small voice" and see what  God had in store for my life.  I've decided that in this instance it was better to coast along and let God do all the work.  Let Him carry me in the direction I needed to go, and even though it makes me a little uneasy, I know that I'm doing the right thing.  Paths are beginning to become clear and the pieces of this portion of my life's puzzle are beginning to fall into the proper places.  I am not afraid, there is no reason to be, because it's not me who is steering my life at the moment.

I read a wonderful book last fall called Fearless, by Max Lucado.  If you often feel fearful of the pieces of your life that seem out of your control or situations that make you feel anxious then this book will be a wonderful read for you.  I used be fearful of changes, because more often than not, they were not my doing.  I was also afraid of situations that I had no control over, flying for example. Actually, while I was reading that book I came to the realization that when God is in control of your life there is absolutely no reason to be fearful.  So , fast forward to now, changes swirling about me like a huge eddy in a river rapid and I am not afraid.  I can see the calm waters ahead and I know that if I keep paddling I'll get there.

Change is inevitable in all of our lives.  It doesn't have to be scary.  Change is what propels us forward on our journey.  What we need to realize is that God is behind the wheel.  His steering is true, and taking us in the right direction.  It's when we exert our free will and push that break pedal to the floor we get into trouble and head down the dead end street.  For me, I'm turning on the cruise control and enjoying the scenery along the way; it's been a beautiful ride so far.