Embrace change with a positive attitude

"The winter is past; the rains are over and gone."

- Song of Songs 2:11 (NIV)

I was talking on the phone with a friend about some adversity she was experiencing in her life. In the middle of our conversation I looked out the window and spotted a red-breasted robin nested in a bush.

"I just saw a robin!" I excitedly shared with my friend. "I don't think I've ever seen one in February before. Maybe this a sign the winter in your life is ending."

Seasons come and go. I've experienced many springtime's in my life. I have also seen many long, dark, barren winters. I have learned that just as the seasons of nature change so do the seasons of our lives. They can feel like a refreshing breath of spring or the adversity of a cold winter that seems to hang on.

Some seasons in our lives are easier to embrace than others. The loss of a loved or something dear to us is, oftentimes, a change much harder to endure than the desired change that brings us new and exciting opportunities. But God desires to use them to enrich our lives, regardless of how they come.

Springtime can be a time for a change. Sometimes we feel the need for change but can't quite get out of the old comfort zone. We wonder and ponder if God is really calling us forward.

When we feel something is holding us back and we're stuck, we need to pray and ask God if it is time to let go. We might be holding on to something, like an old pair of shoes that have become tattered and unsightly, yet provide comfort to our feet.

Changing seasons can stir bittersweet emotions. Even good changes can cause grief when we know that, in our growth, we must leave behind something we've dearly loved.

Embracing changes with a positive attitude will lead us toward a new and more meaningful life. When our grief is over we can try to look for a new perspective to see where we're headed.

With a new perspective, we anticipate a time of emotional and spiritual renewal like a breath of springtime.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at Annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413. She will be speaking at United Methodist Church in Winthrop Harbor at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 10.