Transition: Miracles in the Mud

Spring has officially arrived on the calendar, but right now in Manitoba, all I see is mud and mess. When I think of spring, I picture new green shoots emerging from barren ground, buds on trees, and flowers starting to grow. But even though the concept of spring evokes feelings of hope and thoughts of new beginnings, the reality is not so pretty. Right now, we are in a time of transition. We are no longer in winter, but the evidence of spring isn’t yet visible. We are in between.

Lost in Transition

Just as there are seasons in our climate, there are also seasons in life. And there are times of transition between seasons, where things get messy and nothing seems to be happening. Being in transition can be confusing and disorienting. It’s easy to get lost or discouraged in the in-between. When I’m leaving a winter season, and yet I don’t see any evidence of spring, it is very disheartening. Even though time passes faster and faster, sometimes it feels like I am progressing in slow motion. It’s hard not to lose faith when I don’t seem to bloom. I forget that everything in life starts in seed form. And seeds start growing underground, in the invisible places. It takes a lot of faith, love and time to nurture the seeds before they can bloom.

Keep Growing

This is where it is so easy to give up. I think back to 2020 when I was so excited to have written a new song. I was so inspired – I felt like I was entering a spring season. In my mind, I imagined floodgates opening and a river of songs pouring out of me. This was only the beginning, and I assumed I was going onward and upward from there. But that’s not what happened. In these last two years I’ve taken tons of time to write – I have the notebooks to prove it! I have nurtured myself, worked on my mindset, etc. But I’ve had to accept that true growth takes more time than I would like. I am still in transition, clinging to faith that spring will come. This is not the time to settle. It’s the time to dig in. The seeds I have planted may not be visible, but if I keep going, they will keep growing.

Miracles in the Mud

As those of us on the prairies know, the thawing of frozen ground gets messy. But there are miracles in the mud. I need eyes of faith to see past the mud to the seeds hidden within. And the grace to believe in their beauty even before I see them bloom. I don’t want to quit before the harvest. For me the struggle is to remain consistent. To be faithful to continue planting and nurturing seeds, even when I can’t see any evidence of growth. To trust God in the midst of transition, rather than defining myself or what God is doing based on the mud and the mess. By the grace of God, I won’t give up until I bloom. 🌷