I love the springtime.  Flowers begin to bloom.  Trees bud and then sprout new growth.  Turkeys gobble and the season begins.  The birds begin their nesting and sing choruses of familiar songs.  Lawns transform from brown to bright green.  Springtime is a time of change.  Spring is the time of Easter.  Spring's changes don't just bring arbitrary changes; springtime ushers in life-giving changes.  What life-giving changes are happening within you?

In the spirit of witness, I would like to share with you some of the changes in my life that bear a newness of life.

1.  Reading Scripture.  I am reading through the Bible again this year with new eyes.  I have begun a reading plan that charts the whole Bible in one year, but does so chronologically.  So, the reading does not necessarily follow the organization and flow of the printed Bible.  The plan I am using is available at:  http://www.backtothebible.org/devotions/readme.htm?level=chronological.  Currently, I am reading Joshua and am finding new insights into familiar stories.

2. Accountability Partners.  While Sandra continues and will continue to be my primary accountability partner, I have found two new accountability partners that are helping me in my journey of faith and living.  Rodney Martin and I meet once a week to discuss a number of issues, including:  Bible reading, weight loss (more on that one in a minute), personal struggles, financial decisions, and faith questions.  J.J. and Tammy Hughes are my Financial Peace University accountability partners.  Together, we wrestle with being faithful stewards of the financial resources God has given us.  Rodney, J.J., Tammy and Sandra have become a source of strength for me that I need to be faithful in my withness as a Christian.

3.  Weight Loss.  Somehow, someway, I have found the secret to weight loss.  It's a magical plan that seems to work.  It works like this: You can eat whatever you want...just eat less of it.  Complicated, I know!  Really, I have begun to work on my weight problem.  As flattering as many of you have been, I really am overweight.  However, God's grace has been with me and I have been able to lose 13 1/2 pounds so far.  My goal is 30 pounds.  I feel better about myself, and I like knowing that it is not an impossible feat.  It can be done.  I feel a sense of empowerment and confidence that I have not felt toward my body in some years.  I feel great and will keep you updated on my progress.

I have shared these things with you to encourage you to claim the effects of spring in your life.  Certainly there are some changes that can bring new life into the winter of our lives.  I am glad to learn that I am not a stick in the mud.  I can change, too.  God might be calling you to read the Bible with fresh eyes.  God might be calling you to find a accountability partner with whom to grow in the faith.  God might be calling you to make a change in your diet, work, or finance that can help you make a better witness of faith.  Springtime has found me blooming.  Will you bloom too?