Change or Change of Pace

Summer often signals a change of pace. But summer whizzes by! We in Minnesota bemoan that fact! August reminds us that fall is coming, for seasons change. I hope you have enjoyed some summer outdoor events--cookouts, family times, or concerts in the park!

Summer did not bring a lighter pace for me as one of my campus pastor positions changed for another. That has meant learning new names and faces and processes. But gratefully, I still serve at Scandia Shores! That didn’t change! And mixed in were enjoyable times with an outdoor family wedding and more.

Some people welcome change more than others, and some handle change better than others. My friend used to rearrange her furniture nearly every time she cleaned her living room. She liked a new look. Not so much for me; my space is limited and the furniture is too heavy!

Is change good? Some changes we welcome, some we dread. Some change we can choose but other change is thrust upon us. Positive changes can bring new friendships, happiness, and fulfillment! Winston Churchill said:

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”

What about changing anxiety for peace; or negative attitudes for positive ones? We can still change and grow as long as we are living and breathing. God can help us make positive changes.

Some changes in the world around us we may fear are not healthy for individuals or nations. In these changing times, we can tap into an inner strength that provides a stable foundation to weather the changes. Prayer gives me that stability of tuning into our Faithful God!

Katherina A. von Schlegel, the German author of “Be Still, My Soul” wrote of the confidence we can experience as we rest upon God who holds us steady:

Be still my soul, the Lord is on my side,

Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain.

Leave to Thy God to order and provide

In every change He faithful will remain.

(Katherina A. von Schlegel, 1752; tune: Finlandia)

Campus Pastor Sherree Lane