The Privileged Life: New Life in Autumn Seasons

    “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)

    A couple of weeks ago, I took my daughter on a new adventure—a guided “wildflower walk” on Roan Mountain, part of the region’s biannual naturalist rally. The trek was led by Guy Mauldin, a delightful gentleman who had been my daughter’s math teacher in high school. 

    Orb-weaver argiope spider with pink clover

    Mr. Mauldin entertained our group with his vast knowledge of indigenous and transplanted foliage as we hiked up a country road—originally the historic trail used during the American Revolution by the “Overmountain Men,” frontiersmen on their way to North Carolina to battle things out with the British.

    A bevy of curiously-named wildflowers lined the trail—boneset, virgin’s bower, Queen Anne’s lace, ironweed, sneezeweed, and more. Mr. Mauldin shared fascinating stories about them, their medicinal properties, and how they received their names. The hike ended at an ancient cottonwood tree, not native to the area but grand in its stature. 

    Beautiful goldenrod often gets the blame for seasonal allergies, but its evil (and much less colorful) twin, ragweed, is the real culprit.

    When I originally registered for this walk, I had doubts about what we would see. In our mountains, we expect lots of bright blossoms to emerge abundantly in the early months of the year as temperatures start to climb. But would any flowers still be around as temperatures start to drop? As leaves wither and fall? For plant life, this is the season of decline, the downhill slope into the deathlike months of winter.

    As it turned out, I was astonished by the plethora of flora in bloom. Their colors were striking—yellow goldenrods, blue asters and chicory, red spotted jewelweed, pink clover, purple thistles. God had dipped His paintbrush deep into His palette of brilliant hues and generously splattered-painted His artistry across the mountainside fields. A considerable supply of bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies added extra color and energy to the scene.

    Purple asters
    Queen Anne’s lace has a purplish-black spot in the center—by legend, it’s a drop of the queen’s “blue blood” from pricking her finger on the lace weaving needle.

    Isn’t that just like God to surprise us with renewed life in our autumn seasons? Until the day we go to be with Him in heaven, He has a plan and purpose for how we should spend our days. Often, He has some unexpected changes up His sleeve for us…challenges that revitalize our spiritual life in what might seem like a drought.

    Many folks in Scripture received God’s blessings in their older age. Sarah gave birth to Isaac in her 90s—a miracle promised and fulfilled by God to create the nation of Israel. Can you imagine the daunting task of baby care for a woman that age? Caleb was another strong senior who received the inheritance of a new family home in the promised land, an offer that required him to continue fighting.

    Ironweed

    And then there was the apostle John, the only one of the original disciples not to be martyred in younger years. Instead, he was exiled to the island of Patmos where Jesus Christ revealed the future of the world, charging him to write down this vision for the generations that would follow—to assure them that He is coming again and will achieve His victory for them.

    These people were canvases in the hand of the master Artist…their life journeys were repainted with His brushstrokes.* They blossomed and grew into the new roles assigned to them. If they complained about fatigue, it wasn’t recorded in the Bible. 

    Can we say the same thing about our own walk with Jesus? Are we blooming where He has planted us? Or will He transplant us into a new setting where we will flourish for Him? Will we eagerly go without complaint?

    Virgin’s bower—so named because it was used in bridal bouquets at mountain weddings
    Red spotted jewelweed

    If we trust in His goodness and rest in His faithfulness, He’ll give us boldness to embrace His plans for us…even if we’re uprooted and carried to new gardens. Our lives will bear the fragrance of Christ-like love, one we are called to share with others.

    Beloved friends, as you move through this week, look for unexpected flowers around you. They might be as tiny as a timid violet or as towering as a magnificent sunflower. Let them remind you that God created them and you to glorify Him. Ask Him to show you, in whatever stage of life you enjoy at the moment, how He has prepared you for the task at hand. Ask Him to help you see the beauty of His artistry in you…that what you may regard as weeds are the brilliant results He has intended for your work.

    May God grant you the joy, contentment, and privilege this week of being a wildflower for Him!

    Wise and charming Guy Mauldin—known simply as Mr. Mauldin to the thousands of math students he taught for more than 50 years—was our wildflower walk guide.

    Creator God, I worship You in the beauty of Your holiness and creativity. You have made me for Your glory and to adore You for Your majesty. Prepare me now for new horizons and jobs in the future, for the purposes only You can see. Help me to trust You completely as You lead me into challenging situations. Infuse me with Your love so that I may be as winsome and inviting as a lovely wildflower to Your children—always pointing them to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

    Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing InfertilityHer weekly blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.

    © Copyright 2024 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    #wildflowers #roanmountain #naturalistwalk #autumnwalk #fallfoliage

    *Some Bible versions of Ephesians 2:10 (at beginning of this post) translate “workmanship” as “masterpiece.” What a joyful way to describe how God feels about you as His creation! 

    Happy sunflowers—not wild, but planted—produce nutritious seeds/oil for birds and people.
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      Nancy C. Williams

      Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years. She’s also an adventure enthusiast who loves snow-skiing, making biscotti, taking photos, digging into fascinating stories from the past, and sharing a good laugh. Nancy is serious, though, about serving Jesus Christ—striving to encourage others on their spiritual journeys. She is author of the novel To Love a Falcon and devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. To follow Nancy’s devotions and news, go to http://nancycwilliams.com and subscribe.

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