In the Company of Women

I had the privilege this past week of meeting for the second time with a group of women who gather to write and then to share stories from their lives. It's an eclectic group with a variety of life experiences, and both times I have met with them have been a blessings, especially the experience of learning more about these unique individuals. Of course God has created each of us as unique individuals, it's just that we don't often intentionally take the time to learn more about our sisters and brothers on this planet in such detail. This time we talked about crossroads in our lives--those times that changed the direction of our lives forever either through life circumstances or through our own actions. After listing all such crossroads we could think of in 10 minutes, we chose one to write about and to share.

Of all the many times of change in my life (and I was surprised how many I could list in such a short time), I chose to write about my decision to go to seminary. Doing so meant walking again in memory through the painful job change that led me to take a sabbatical from law practice and go to seminary to study God's word. In retrospect, I realize that God had already been calling me in that direction for some time. I learned through my own experience and those of my fellow classmates at seminary that when God calls, you might as well go quietly. Sooner or later you will likely end up there anyway, and it's less traumatic to go peacefully rather than wait to experience some of the ways God has of getting our attention. I personally know what it feels like to be run to ground by the Hound of Heaven. As a result, I've learned to pay better attention and to respond more promptly when God calls.

How richly my life has been blessed by the change I made, as painful as it was at the time. And how much I would have missed had I chosen to stubbornly stay in place rather than face the pain of loss and change. Time with these wonderful women was a good time to reflect on that hard earned wisdom and to share my story with the others. It was a time to remember that God is good and perhaps especially so in times of change.

Grace and Peace,
Donna Sue