hope

Dead Leaves and Bald Trees

/ Gail Johnson / 31 Comments

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

Are you ready for fall?

I was asked that question last week.

And All at Once, summer collapsed into fall.

Fall? I’m still in July. Where did the summer go?

It’s not that I don’t like fall. I love fall with its delicious aromas, warm blankets, and firelight. But this year, we had a lot of rain, and most days I waited, stuck inside.

Stuck.

Isn’t that the way things go at times?

Stuck in a season.

Stuck on an idea.

Stuck with a feeling.

Stuck waiting for a miracle.

Stuck.

Here’s the thing. When I’m stuck, I’m no longer moving forward.

So I decided to get unstuck. Not in the disarray-discomposure-or-incoherence sort of way, but in the able-to-move-freely, happy-to-be-here, looking-forward-to-it kinda way. 🙂

Why?

Fall is a physical and spiritual reminder to let things go that I cannot change.

The trees are about to show

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Job 14:7 KJV

Even the dead leaves of autumn and the bald trees of winter testify of hope. There is always hope no matter the season. His name is Jesus.

No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring

Maybe I won’t get the answers I long for in every season. But I can’t allow it to steal my joy or my hope. Nor will I lounge about in the current season pondering over things I cannot change. I must move on.

Autumn

Blessings await me in this coming season. If only I can recognize them when they appear.

I loved autumn, the season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it

The Lord is always with me wherever my foot may trod. He will not leave me nor forsake me. I have hope. I am not alone.

Neither are you, my friend. No matter the season you’re facing. You’re not alone. The Lord our God is with us leading the way.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11 KJV

During this season, I plan to fall deeper in love with the Lord and let the dead things go. How about you?

Click to Tweet: Even the dead leaves of autumn and the bald trees of winter testify of hope. @GailJohnson87 #fall #hope

Praying for you. Thank you for reading and commenting. You are appreciated.

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Release Day!

/ Gail Johnson / 20 Comments

Good morning, dear reader! I hope your Christmas holiday was filled with laughter. I was blessed to have all my children with me. Something a mom looks forward to during the holidays.

Now, we’re nearing the end of this year and I have one more surprise.

Today is release day! That means you can purchase an ebook or paperback of my memoir from Amazon. Or if you’re a member of Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for free.

Here’s the blurb.

When long-buried memories of abuse resurface, Gail faces a choice: continue ignoring the implications of her nightmares and remain a captive of fear and shame, or dare to remove the painful chains binding her present to her past. Unearthing the sorrows of her past would not be easy and distressing questions would arise along the way to challenge her faith.

Why would a God of both love and justice allow this abuse?
Why does He expect me to forgive my abuser?
If He let this happen, does He truly love me at all?

In her memoir, Treasures of Hope: Discovering the Beautiful Truth Beneath My Painful Past, Gail Johnson shares the truths she uncovered while studying earlier daughters of both harm and hope. As she became better acquainted with women of the Bible like Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, Rahab, Tamar, and Esther, their stories spoke truth into her own, mining the jewels of Identity and Purpose, Intimacy, Incomparability, Courage, Peace, and Victory. With each new discovery, Gail traded a length of chain for a balm of gold . . . and unearthed treasures that would sever the past’s stranglehold on her life, allowing her to live joyously in the present and anticipate the future with emboldened hope.

Treasures of Hope: Discovering the Beautiful Truth Beneath My Painful Past is my story but also it is HIStory. It is a story of hope and triumph. I pray you enjoy reading about my journey to freedom.

Before you go, thank you for your encouragement during this process. And thank you in advance for purchasing my story. ❤