It is Spring in the UK! A season of new life, lambs gambolling across green pasture, trees coming into full blossom, and of course as we emerge from a Winter of lockdown a time to breathe in deeply the fresh spring air.
One of my closest friends has recently given birth to a precious baby girl and we are all celebrating this gift of life. This caused me in turn to ponder, do I ever stop thinking of my own life as a gift? When was the last time I paused to appreciate that every day from the moment of my birth until my final day on this earth is a precious gift?
My life has been full of joy and pain, mountain top experiences and deep valleys, along with a large number of what I am in danger of referring to as mundane or ordinary!! However, as a Christian, I choose to receive every day as a new gift from God.
I want each day to have purpose and meaning, I know that I have learned the most about myself and God's faithfulness whilst walking through valleys, but I am so grateful that we are not called to live in the valley but walk through it.
Eighteen months ago I had just completed my fifth year working in a job I loved and had anticipated being in until I retired. However, I was unexpectedly and traumatically made redundant placing me in a deep dark valley. God in his faithfulness came to me in that place and I began to once again realise that there was a hope and a future for me to discover and move into. Since then I have trained as a life coach and, having qualified with distinction, launched my own business. God has brought me through a period of Winter and now I am once again in a season of Spring in my life.
When setting up my life coaching business I chose an oak leaf in Spring as my logo. It is vibrant and green and represents my own life, as I find something new in my mature years to invest my passion and energy in to. It is also a symbol of hope for all those that I will coach, as my niche is to support those over 55 navigate through the many varied transitions that occur in that season of life.
I do hope that you will continue to journey with me over the coming months as I use my blogs to encourage us to pause, to be mindful of our ongoing gift of life and to share with you ways of ensuring we are living life to the fullest and in the most meaningful way, as we mature.
Psalm 92:14 "They will still bear fruit in old age (maturity), they will stay fresh and green."
