It’s that time of year when our feed is full of ‘fall outfit inspiration’, ‘transitional pieces’, ‘fall essentials’, and so on.
Fall or autumn as we call it here in the UK is one of my favourite seasons. I love the richness of fall colours, the warmer tones, and pallets we add to our wardrobe. I like the brown, oranges and deep shades of yellow leaves that decorate the ground. I particularly like the early days and weeks of autumn. We get the odd sunny day where we can leave the house with sunnies on, a small jacket and a scarf and we’ll be okay.
Recently, I’ve been talking to a lot of students new to my local church and the city and it’s made me think a lot about transitions.
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Being new to a city
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New to living alone
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New jobs
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New relationships
Transition is an expected feature of life, but it doesn’t take away that it can be scary and anxiety provoking.
I’ve had to deal with my fair share of transitions, and I wanted to share a few tips that have helped me – hoping they help you.
1. Establish a routine as soon as you can
Routine introduces order and gives you a sense of stability. This is particularly important when you’re in a new space and things feel uncertain and unpredictable.
Make your routine REALISTIC. Starting off small and when you have a good rhythm going then you
Easing yourself into this new routine by starting off small. Small, manageable steps are usually easier to implement and keep up. Consistency is key! Once you have established a good rhythm you can think about building up your routine.
Also, make sure you are scheduling in nice things. I know this isn’t a Bible scripture but ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.
2. Make schedule time daily to pray and read The Word
(This probably should have been number one but)
Seeking God daily, spending time in His Word, and conversing with Him regularly is essential to us functioning effectively.
I like to see the Word of God literally as food. In some ways it helps me stay on track and encourages me to read the Word. When I go a few days without reading my Bible I ask myself would I really go without food for days? Probably not, therefore why am I starving myself of Godly food and His presence?
3. Join a local church and attend a house group
This is especially important if you find yourself in a new city, country, town, or new geographic place.
It’s a good way to make friends and be part of a community of like-minded people. If you’re struggling with making time for God during the week, this at least guarantees that you have designated time to spend with God and other believers.
4. Rest in Him and His Grace!
The thing about transitions is that it doesn’t mean the core of you changes. Think about it like this, in autumn we layer up with scarves, wear coats etc. We do this as a way of adapting to the conditions of our environment. We adapt to the season, by changing what we wear, so that we can survive, cope, and ultimately thrive. Transitions in some way is similar. The core of us does not change, however, it’s an opportunity to increase our capacity, grow to thrive in the next season.
Whatever your transition – starting school, a new job, moving countries, starting on a journey of motherhood or marriage, be confident that God’s grace is more than sufficient for this transition the next season of your life and beyond!
I’d love to know if you do something in particular to help you adjust to change?
With love,
Faith xox