We recently ended a season...a chapter of our lives. My husband simultaneously lead worship for the last time after a nine month volunteer commitment as well as took his last final of his first semester of grad school. We have been counting down the days.
Over the last year or so, my workout routines have shifted to high intensity with lots of resting. Sprint, rest. Lift, rest, repeat. I like seeing my body push itself past it's limits. But it is only with proper rest in between that I can go so much further.
I see our life mimicking my work out routine at times. My husband and I are both very passionate people. We like to throw all of ourselves into things. But in order to maintain health and balance in our lives there has to come a season of rest.
Last fall, right before our Paris trip, I was in a crazy season. When Brent started grad school in January, I took a back seat to some of my commitments to refuel my spirit. As an introvert I see that I need a little more rest time than Brent does in order to gain mental, emotional, and physical strength again.
So as I watched my husband lead worship for the last time I could not help but feel a little emotional. A chapter of our life is closing and there is no question that it is much needed. But to see my husband so passionately serving in his unique giftedness fills my heart.
The thing is, if we were to stay and not allow these seasons of rest, we would get burnt out. We would not be able to throw ourselves into things passionately again without a time of rejuvenation. And surely we could try to live a more balanced and mediocre life but instead we would rather take the ups and downs because we were made to live and love intensely.
While the closing of a season brings mixed emotions, I know that it is healthy to step away at a good place. All the highs and lows and joys and frustrations. They seemed to all well up in my heart. It would be easier to just be sad or to see change negatively but instead I choose to be reminded how sweet it is to live with purpose and to give all that we have when it is needed of us.
Because this is not the end. This is the beginning of a time of rest. In order to prepare for what is ahead. A greater adventure. A greater blessing. And another opportunity to give and love outside of ourselves.
