Straddling Seasons

The weather has been strange this year.

In my little corner of the globe, nestled in the middle of the USA, I’m used to the seasons being a bit unpredictable. “If you don’t like the weather, just wait an hour,” someone inevitably mutters whenever the topic comes up.

After a long, hot summer, I’ve been craving the coziness of autumn—sweaters, hot drinks, and early sunsets. Yet the heat lingers, stubbornly resisting change. Usually, we’ve seen our first snowfall by now. Yet here we are, still in T-shirts, waiting for the air to shift.

I long for the same kind of clarity in my own life. Most of my friends are marking life’s milestones with a familiar rhythm. They are helping with teenage homework, laughing over their kids’ elementary school antics, or soothing crying babies. They’re settling into homes they own, planning for retirement, or enjoying ministries that have taken root.

Then I look at my own life and sometimes feel the same kind of bewilderment as I do when facing this unseasonable weather.

My path hasn’t followed a familiar script. It doesn’t fit neatly into boxes like “family” or “career” or “homeownership.” I find myself straddling seasons that don’t quite match those around me, walking a winding path that has its own starts and stops, without the predictable rhythms I once expected.

What do we do when the season we’re in isn’t what we thought it would be? It’s tempting to believe that joy is reserved for some future season, one where everything aligns with our hopes. But I’m learning that even in seasons that feel hazy or slow, there are quiet gifts waiting to be uncovered.

This season, for me, is full of small, unexpected joys: weekend trips to cheer on my nieces and nephews as they show off new skills at their piano recital, meet-ups with friends to enjoy a football game, finding fresh ways to serve in my local fellowship. Each moment is an invitation to trust God in ways I haven’t before—to believe that his provision and care are here for me, right where I am, even if this season looks different than I imagined.

When life doesn’t follow the well-worn path of typical milestones, it can feel easy to lose track of progress. Graduations, weddings, babies, and housewarmings serve as clear indicators that we’re moving forward. Perhaps we need to find new markers, new ways of celebrating right where we are.

For me, this means looking for joy in smaller, personal milestones. What can you celebrate in this season? It might be a year of faithfully working on language study. The completion of a project that pushed you creatively and spiritually. Deepening a friendship that has seen you through different seasons.

Instead of waiting for the traditional milestones, I’m learning to celebrate more often and more freely. I can celebrate the courage it took to pursue a calling I never expected, the resilience to stay faithful when things got hard, or the joy of discovering a new passion. Each season holds its own unique milestones, whether the world recognizes them or not. I’m finding joy in lifting them up as signs of a life that’s meaningful and deeply my own.

Just like weird weather, this season might not look like the one you hoped for. It doesn’t mean it’s without purpose. Maybe it’s an invitation to draw closer to the One who understands every longing, every joy, and every unfulfilled dream we hold. We may not be able to see the full path or understand why we’re here, but God continues his work in us beyond what we can understand or control.

What is unique about the current season you are in? What are you celebrating right now, big or small?