Embrace & Release
My thoughts on embracing the current season you are in and learning to release whatever is holding your soul captive...
Hey Friend!
I know, it’s been a while since I wrote to you. Ten weeks to be exact. How are you?
You might have noticed a different format for my email Soul Feast Letters. I have changed to a new platform for delivering my letters to you. Please let me know by replying to this email, if you have any problems. The new platform is called substack and it is a way that I can bring encouraging content to you without the steep costs involved in my current email provider.
It’s autumn here in NZ. A season that I have not enjoyed in the past. What’s your favourite season?
New Zealand is still fairly green, we don’t have many deciduous trees but there is one on my walking route that catches my attention every time I walk. It’s big. It fills the front yard completely.
A couple of weeks ago this big old tree was full of green oak leaves. Then as each day passed the leaves turned autumnal. Green become orange and red. But there were still many green leaves among the red. Especially on the bottom layer of the tree. That intrigued me, for sure. I just had to ask Abba Father about it.
Why Father are the leaves turning colour from the top, down?
He answered - all change starts from the top
That’s when I knew this autumn needed to be different. No wishing for seasons to speed by. No grinning and bearing the crisp mornings, windy afternoons and cold nights.
What if… I embraced Autumn and asked her to share her wisdom?
What if…I looked forward to each season in anticipation of spiritual formation?
How are you travelling, in the season you are currently in? Are you wanting it to speed up and get on with life? wishing it towards a season you do love? Or have you slowed your pace, observing the life around you and learning from her wisdom?
We must learn to live each day, each hour, each minute as a new beginning, as a unique opportunity to make everything new
Henri Nouwen
As I move through this autumnal season I am struck repeatedly with the images of release. As I stomp my way through the layers of fallen leaves, the Spirit whispers invitations to enter into release. Really Lord? What do I have to release?
And the journey begins.
Some things can be released immediately like changing to a vegan lifestyle (which my husband and I did at the beginning of this year) or decluttering a wardrobe of unloved things or unsubscribing from unused streaming services, but most things take time.
I guess, the older you are, the longer it takes to unwind some things.
Take regret. It’s super easy to tell someone, just move on, you can’t change it. But when the what if questions pile up like the fallen leaves…
What if, we had bought that house rather than the cheaper one?
What if, I had taken that job and not this one?
What if, what if, what if!
This releasing of regret takes a right turn through the forest of forgiveness.
These regrets we have are either events out of our control or a result of our choices. Either way, forgiveness is needed to facilitate the release process.
My regrets are from decisions that contained many choices - buy that house or this house? What would our live be like if we had chosen that house? Would we be mortgage free now? I don’t know that. But I think I do and there’s where the regret settles in and makes his home.
This autumnal season, I am taking a leaf from the tree’s book. To move towards releasing regrets and any other stuff that God reveals to me. To forgive myself for past choices. To remind myself that only God knows all the various paths that life could have taken and trust Him that every path that I took, He was right there pointing the way. Nothing is wasted in this life.
“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.”
Romans 8:28 AMP
How about you? It might not be autumn where you are right now, but what is this season inviting you into?
release or hold onto?
dig deeper or dig up?
cover up or open up?
creating space or filling a place?
May Abba Father pour His grace upon your current seasonal ponderings, questions and searchings.
You are invited to reply to this email and share your ponderings and requests for prayers. You can also comment below and start a discussion on seasons and release where we can all join in - this is a new feature that we haven’t had before and I would love to get to know you all through community discussions. So don’t be shy, comment away.
This Week’s Resources + More Ponderings…
Podcast - The Celtic Way Podcast - Autumn -interesting discussion on the wonder of Autumn and the lessons that can be learned from this season.
Quote from 365 Lectio App on 21st April - “My doubts are important to address, but my primary call, like the disciples, is to linger in the presence of Jesus. In the places where my heart burns with His love, I may not find immediate answers or resolution, but I often find my perspective radically shifted.” This app is full of great meditation and wisdom. It’s free.
I have been pondering this quote from A W Tozer for a while - “God does not stop at rescuing us; the purpose of that rescue is to enjoy fellowship with us” The question to ask is, am I still in the life boat holding on for dear life? Or am walking and talking with Jesus and enjoying the mountain tops and valleys along the way? Was Jesus’ goal, the cross only? No, I think that was just the beginning, he was looking forward to the time after the cross, the 40 days on earth afterwards with his people, the eternity of abiding inside people’s very souls. That was the objective. Yes, amen.
Death was pondered this season as my grandfather of 98 years died with Covid. JRR Tolkin wrote “The journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path; one that we all must take”. I was fortunate enough to witness his last couple of hours on earth. It was a sacred space. It also opens up a load of questions doesn’t it? Super proud of my grandad who fought in WW2 in the Royal NZ Navy, worked incredibly hard in business and dedicated his life to politics to make society and better and fairer place to live. Here’s me, sharing Psalm 23 at our little intimate family gathering at the graveside.
Until next time, Keep Leaning into Jesus
To learn more about me and my books check out rachellarkin.com
If this Soul Feast Letter enriched your life, please click the share button below and pass it on to enrich another.
What current season are you in? How can you see God in it?
Wow Rachel . almost everything in this soul feast letter resounded with me ! Esp the releasing of that which holds my soul captive . We have by Gods divine favour been blessed with a bond approval on a new home and my head has been filled with doubt with regards to whether we have made the right choice etc . esp at our age as we are both in our fifties .. but GOD has directed our paths so we will just embrace this season that we are in and give HIM ALL the glory . I too was always fascinated with Autumn as I watch the beautiful green leaves fall , leaving bare trees . but I look at all of it so differently now ...Its a necessary process to make way for all things brand new . Thank you and God bless you and your family always and forever Gail x