Springtime in Florida - what a gift of God's grace! Beautiful weather, outdoor individual and family activities, and a reminder of the promise of new beginnings! For our family, it was our grandkids celebrating the bookends of the two major holidays - swimming in the pool on Easter Sunday, as they had been swimming in the pool on Christmas Day!
Springtime and Easter seem to be all about new beginnings. It's probably more noticeable in other parts of our world, but the change in temperature seems to end hibernations, not just for animals but also for each of us as the jackets, sweaters, extra blankets on the bed, and closed up houses are replaced with shorts and short-sleeves, open windows, and fun in the sun.
The events of Holy Week and Easter this year reminded me once again of the cycles of life in an imperfect world - Good Friday followed by Easter; struggles in life followed by resolutions; loss and despair followed by hope and new beginnings!
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts..." (Romans 5)
One author suggested, "We see the hand of God working in our lives no more clearly than when we reflect back on the years of our lives." In those times, we see the struggles and resolution; we see the darkness followed by light; we see the winter followed by spring and the hope and the new beginnings.
A lesson discovered, "It's our future not just our past that affects our present... our view of the future?" Knowing that spring will come each year, we survive the winter. In the same way, knowing that there will be a new beginning, an Easter, light at the end of tunnel we can find hope, peace, and promises for the days that are difficult.
We are available at LCS to walk with you through the difficult times toward the promises and new beginnings that might be on the horizon.
I am grateful for your reading of this newsletter and your partnership with us in bring hope and new life to many. Be sure read in this newsletter to learn more about National Stress Month and National Autism Month and special events we have coming up.
God's peace to you in the journey...
Dr. Rick Armstrong, LMFT
Executive Director
