Lonnie and I have lived all across the country. From the East coast to the West coast and several states in between. Our daughters graduated from high school earlier this month after attending 4 different high schools! (And in case you’re wondering, they turned out great!!!!) We are wanderers. Adventurers. We are always the “new family in town”, so our perspective is slightly different than the local who has lived there their entire life. We often see what others don’t see. Why? Because it’s different for us, but all the same for them. The weather, the patterns, the people, the traditions, the food has all become predictable for them. But for us, the “new kids”, it’s all so unique and exciting. We have fresh eyes where the 5th generation local has become a little glazed over with the repetitiveness of life.

As much as you may think you want a predictable, predetermined, safe life where nothing ever changes and all things are guaranteed to stay the same, YOU REALLY DON’T WANT THAT. Your soul is craving change. Your eyes are desperate for new and exciting. And yet we cling to what “has been” with a death grip and fight change like the devil himself.

Let me tell you something, the very change you’re fighting may not be a work of the enemy, it may be by the design of our almighty God to keep you fully alive in this life. To open your eyes once again, to snap you out of robotic living. To give you days you will actually REMEMBER instead of weeks, months and years of your life passing in a gradual decline.

It is time for change.

And oh how we serve the God of change. We serve the God of curveballs.

Have you ever been thrown a curveball in life? Things didn’t go the way you imagined? You think things are going one way, then it turns and goes the other. The unexpected. Yeah, me too. What does it mean when life seems to get out of control? What does it mean when the bottom drops out of your plans and you’re striking out?

How do you receive change? Do you flip out? Do you panic? Do you begin imagining your ultimate failure and demise immediately? Do you quit? Or do you TRUST? Do you trust that change is God’s curveball to keep you IN THE GAME.

Change is God’s curveball to give you fresh eyes, to wake you up, to keep you from growing so comfortable that you just drift through this week, this month, this year with an ever so gradual decline.

CHANGE IS FOR YOU. For your benefit.

What is your curveball? What is your unexpected change? What is your disappointing pitch right now? Life isn’t in control, God is. Let me say that again. Life isn’t in control. Your life is totally out of control. All your planning and work will NOT control your life. God is in control. Complete control.

And God not only allows curveballs, he stands on the pitcher’s mound and throws them. And while you may not always understand God’s ways, you can always trust his heart. Always. He is always working everything out for your good. You can bet on that. He’s not out to destroy you or punish you.

He is making you better. He is making you stronger. He is making you into the woman he created you to be, so much more than you ever imagined.

Romans 12: 2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

This unexpected change that appears disappointing right now is a shake up. It’s happening FOR you, giving you a renewing of your mind, giving you fresh eyes to see what you’ve been missing. To give you a new appreciation for the miraculous that has simply become ordinary to you.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Your soul has been craving change while your mind has been fighting it. You’ve grown bored. Everything has turned gray. You’re just going through the motions and sadly few things are exciting in your life. And your soul is BEGGING for you to step into change. Embrace it. Go for it. Take that leap. Dare to go, do, see, be. This summer of life will never come again. Will you sit on the same couch watching the same TV as the days pass you by? Fight that! Fight the pull of boring routines and a settled life – fight it more than you fight change. Change is good. Change is for you. Watch your soul come alive again with change!

Now, I want to speak directly to you with a word I truly feel God gave me for you. You’ve been thrown a curve ball. Right now it seems like the thing you are striving for is NOT working. It seems to be going away from you instead of to you. But you keep standing in faith. Keep your eye on what you want. It’s a curveball and it’s going to turn and come RIGHT TO YOU. Be faithful. Keep your eyes fresh. Don’t grow lazy. Don’t allow disappointment to lessen your grip on the tools you have been given. Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. It’s a curveball and it’s going to turn and come right to you.

Whenever God throws you a curveball, it’s not to strike you out; but rather so you can hit it out of the park. Step up and receive what God is throwing you. This is FOR you and you’ve got what it takes to nail this!