It’s beginning to feel a lot like spring, although technically it has been here for a month or so now. The green stems of the tulips are starting to sprout, and it’s getting lighter later in the evening, and the temperature is warm most days.

I don’t know about you, but I love spring.

Even though most of the landscape, at least in Colorado, is brown, and there is so much yard work to be done to clean up the dead debris, to me spring represents new life and a chance to start again.

In my line of work in physical fitness, January is one of my busiest months due to New Year’s resolutions, but so are April and May. As people are starting to resurrect their tank tops and cooler articles of clothing, they are realizing that summer is right around the corner, and they gained or didn’t get rid of their unwanted winter weight. The warm weather is a good motivator for wanting to be more active outdoors by going for walks, runs, or hikes. (And the trainer in me wants to add a plug here with some encouragement for you all to jump on that bandwagon and get outside and start moving!)

This is also my husband’s favorite season. He really enjoys planting and gardening, as I’m sure a lot of you do, too. He’s been planning out the garden for months now, deciding when the best time to plant seedlings inside would be, and when he should bring them outside (because we have to worry about hail in May and June here). As he was rattling off his list of everything he needs to start doing in the yard, the beginning verses from Ecclesiastes 3 came to me.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

Although a pessimist could argue against me, I find such joy in these words. Being reminded that no matter what season I’m experiencing in life — especially the not so good ones — I can be encouraged that, soon enough, I’ll enter into another season.

For example, I get so down at the end of fall because I know how brutal the winters can be, and I know I won’t get to enjoy my favorite outdoor activities during those months. But when it starts looking like spring, I feel a change come over me, and I am so happy and excited about the coming months!

When I go through my next trial, I can find comfort that this season of life is not permanent. Another (better) season will arrive eventually. God directed Solomon to tell us this, and my motto is “God said it, I believe it, and that’s that.”

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.