In the past I’ve shared principles related to your Season of Separation & Season Preparation, all of that was after I was complete with my personal experiences in those seasons.  However; it hit me just a few moments ago to share the season I’m in while I’m in it & that season is of Restoration.

This season has been filled with the cliché’s of life.  I recently had my business partner & friend pass away unexpectedly.  The closer you are to a person the more you experience their flaws & he shared with me his feelings about some of mine.  I had no idea he felt the way he did or that these flaws existed because when you’re in the frame – which I was – you can’t see the picture.  These things bothered him but he never said anything out of respect for me.  I was able to dig deep into the conversation we had to get him to share what was at the core of his discontent.

Once he aired it all out we realized it was mis-communication & mis-interpretation that lead it all, so we resolved everything & immediately re-launched our business relationship & friendship.  We talked daily!  We laughed, joked & celebrated one another’s accomplishments; we were back to being brother & sister.  Not too long after our restoration he went on to Heaven.  It’s been devastating & a huge hit to my heart & the hearts of many more.  He was & still is deeply loved.

I’ve seen things like this in the movies – old friends re-unite after years of separation only to have a permanent separation take place.  That re-uniting is God’s way of giving us an opportunity to be the bigger person & resolve challenges so that when His plan of permanent separation (in the physical) happens we’re not beating ourselves up w/”I wish I would haves”.  No matter what the circumstance He ALWAYS gives us a way out BEFORE it gets worse.

Question:  If the person you’ve separated yourself from passed away while you’re still un-resolved in your challenge with them would you be hurt?

The closer we are to Christ the more likely we’re able to respond Christ-like.  That’s part of the Character Development I’ve shared in the past.  Many times we want to know why it’s taking so long to reach our destination or why we have to go through what we’re going through to get there.  What I’ve learned is the length of the process is all dependent upon what we need to learn & face about US.  That ladies & gentleman is called “growth”.

I have a very stubborn trait – I get it from my father.  I will share that restoration story (which actually happened today) in the next Newsletter.  I’ve known my stubbornness was there & it works in my favor professionally because no matter what I endure there’s nothing that will stop me from achieving my goal.  At the same time it works against me some times in personal relationships w/people that (a) carry the same trait or (b) have impact on my emotions.

I’ve grown to learn & accept that being stubborn has been my defense mechanism & shouldn’t have been because the only defense we truly need is the Armor of God.  I’ve been fighting a battle for 30 years that wasn’t even mine – what a mighty revelation during this Season of Restoration!

“God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels”.

– Ephesians 6:11 (MSG)

Always remember:  “To participate in the promises you have to practice the principles!”