Empty

Today begins a new chapter in my life. My oldest child, Philip is moving cross country for a job opportunity. While he hasn’t lived with or near me his entire adult life, he has been living with us for the past five years.

I get all the aspects and importance of this move, but in reality, it makes for a difficult day. We will miss him. His sisters will miss him. His niece and nephew will miss him. And he will miss us.

The good news? He’s moving close to where my entire family lives. He will be near aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. It really couldn’t get any better than that.

I ask that you join me today and tomorrow to pray for his safety as he drives across the central plains of this wonderful country of ours. Pray with me that his car has no mechanical issues. Pray that God will protect him each mile that he drives. After all, he is my baby.

Yes, I’m starting a new chapter in my life. One step closer to empty nestedness.

I’m sure God was feeling a bit like me in the very beginning. Genesis 1:2 (NIV) says, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” What a description! It’s no wonder God wanted to create something of beauty.

Look at some of the terms. Formless. Empty. Darkness. Deep. For us, these terms might be related to how we are feeling emotionally. If we aren’t careful, we begin to feel this way when we encounter times of loneliness, depression, or change.

But remember, God didn’t want to remain in that situation. He chose to create something better. Something more splendid. Something more uplifting. He created the earth in all its glory.

God doesn’t want us to stay in a state of emptiness either. He would love to take your life and create something beautiful out of ruins. Beauty from ashes.

God wants to take away all of your hurt, your anguish, your pain. He wants to replace these feelings with joy, love, and grace.

I do love Isaiah 61. There is such hope in this chapter. If you are in this empty place today, pull your Bible out and read through it. Take it to heart. Learn how God wants to heal your brokenheartedness. How God wants to release the prisoner. How God wants to comfort the mourning. How God wants to replace the spirit of despair with a garment of praise.

This list could go on and on. It is the perfect passage for anyone that is hurting. God provides hope and promises that can take us from the depths of despair to the heights of favor. Don’t let another day go by without calling out to Him.

I’ve only experienced the empty nest feeling one time in my life for a few short months. All the kids were gone. It was just me and Mason. To keep from being bored, we went to book stores and looked for new material to read while drinking flavored coffees. We took short road trips in the evenings to see interesting parts of our state. We even went to the zoo to take pictures of all its inhabitants. We really were quite the pair.

I don’t see us reverting back to our old way of life any time soon. We really are content being at home together. And besides, my nest isn’t empty yet. But all too soon it will be. And that for certain will turn the page of yet another chapter in my life.

I’m truly thankful for all the people, friends, and family in my life. May God bless each of you with great abundance on this day and every day that lies ahead.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna