Life tends to be one transition on the heels of another. Some transitions are easy, light, and hardly noticed as they fold into our current pace of life. Other transitions are more challenging. A few years ago, our family moved from the frigid-and-snowy Midwest to the sunny-almost-all-the-time South. We stepped into cross-cultural ministry in Clarkston, GA where we worked with refugee youth from all over the globe as missionaries. To say our whole experience has been a transition almost feels like an understatement.   

We went from a spacious home with a fenced in yard to a high-rise apartment in the city where we wind up five floors of a parking ramp only to cart our groceries through three locked doors before finally reaching our tiny space. It’s a whole thing!  

However, as different as life is here on every level, my most memorable transition was becoming an instant mom to three precious toddlers almost a decade ago. My husband and I went from eight years of honeymoon-stage-marital-bliss to a minivan family of five overnight.   

I will always remember sitting in our social worker’s office during what we thought was a very routine meeting to get things rolling to possibly adopt a child out of the foster care system sometime in the next year or so. She began to explain that they had an emergency situation with a sibling group of three kids (ages two, two, and three) who needed an adoptive placement immediately, and my heart began to race. One child was our plan, not three all at once! I proceeded to show interest and asked questions as my husband completely zoned out! Long story short, he came around and within days we were proud (or not so proud?) owners of a forest green minivan with three crumb-covered car seats locked and loaded in the back! 

That transition was memorable, as all parenthood journeys are. We felt like we were running behind in every way possible, but God was so gracious to us through our local church body. They came around us and provided for us in a way that I still cannot wrap my mind around and made our transition not only possible, but also a powerful testimony of His love. We learned a lot about God’s character and deep love for us. 

Each transition has a lesson to teach us if only we take the time to notice it and then allow the pain and the joy of the transition to shape us. Rarely, the growth that occurs will be comfortable, but almost always, it will have been worth it.   

For me, discovering the power of silence and stillness in the midst of the transitions has been key. As I have grown to learn about and embrace this foreign spiritual practice in my own life, a transformation has begun to occur. Transitioning well has much to do with our heart posture not just in and through the transition but leading up to it and coming out of it as well.   

Jesus often modeled silence and stillness for us even in the midst of great stress and transition.

In Mark 1:35 we read: 

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” 

Jesus sought moments alone to be present before God despite the expectations that others had put on Him. As a result, He was able to do the right thing, at the right time, with the right heart. He turned away from the internal and external noise to be in God’s presence and we are wise to do the same. The effects of entering into this practice regularly with the Father can and will bring about a level of spiritual awareness that will change you.   

As our family stands on the edge of another major life transition this summer and I reflect on my heart's current posture, I am surprised by the change that has occurred in me. I have a different sort of peace this time around, and it has nothing to do with having “enough faith” but everything to do with ongoing moments of stillness and silence with the Lord. He is growing in me my ability to wait and see what unfolds as I trust more in His love. He is changing me from the inside out and He wants to change you, too. Will you meet Him in moments of silence as He enters into your transition, no matter the size? 

“Lord, help me to remember that you are on the throne, not me. Help me to trust you with the many things on my to-do list that I cannot finish. Deliver me from the whirlwind around me and in me so that the peace and wisdom that emerge out of stillness and silence might fill me and overflow in love to others. In Jesus name, amen” (Prayer taken from Emotionally Healthy Relationships, Day by Day by Pete Scazzero).  

Note from the Editor: Our theme for May is testimonies! We've all gone through difficult life situations and have seen God work in amazing ways. Let's talk about and celebrate the way God brings beauty out of trials!