Who is ready for fall? If you’re a regular listener, First off thank you. But our regular listeners know by now that fall is my favorite time of year. We’re nearing the end of our current series titled “Who is Ready for Fall”. And this week is Episode 64, we’re talkin about Preparation

We’re not talking about Preparation H, Or buying a bunker in the mountains preparing for the end times. quite frankly, if things are going to get that bad, I don’t want to be here on Earth. I want to be with Jesus by that time. 

This week we’re talking about Preparing during The Fall season. Now depending on where you live, we are in Central/North Texas, there’s not much preparation time that needs to go into our 6 days of chilly weather we have each year. 

But when I was a kid in Tennessee, I remember several hunting seasons being open, cutting fire-wood, and preparing our livestock and Fields for a much colder and harsh environment. 

We had a wood burning heater growing up. Every weekend during Fall we would load the tractor with chain saws and axes. and my dad would often quote Henry Ford when we were cutting fire-wood. “A man who cuts his own wood gets heated by twice.” 

Which means it’s hard work cutting your own fire-wood. Not only would we manage the trees by doing this, but later during the year this also meant bonfires from the brush. That was an added bonus too. Let’s just say, we walked into winter with Sweat Equity. That’s preparing.

I also remember mom trading out our closets from “summer” clothes to “winter” clothes. It was like the Changing of the guard and quite the production. We always had more than one way to keep warm.

Down at the barn, of course bailing hay was an integral part of Fall. We talked about this a couple of weeks ago on our “Harvest” episode. But it was also time to clean out the loft to make room for all of that hay being baled and hauled and lifted, and oh, you get the point. It was a lot of work. But cleaning out the loft was fun. Or, at least we made it fun.  Climbing the ladders, Racing up and down the ramp, jumping off the platform down into a pile of shavings for the stalls. It was fun. 

Today, after our time together, I will probably go out and prepare the pool for winter. There may be school supplies that need to be purchased and uniforms and sports gear. Fall is a busy time of year. 

But instead of going down memory lane, we need to ask ourselves “What can we learn from this?

Change is coming. Now, for some of you that is well welcomed news. You’re ready for a change. The things that you’ve endured have been wearing on you and burnt you to a crisp. And, the change that’s ahead is a welcomed relief. You are ready for a season that doesn’t scorch the earth and everything in it.

For others, change is not so welcome. It’s hard to get excited about the things you see ahead. You’re not exactly looking forward to the bitter cold and you need to prepare for it. Warmth is your security blanket, so to speak. 

Either way, Fall provides us a time to prepare ourselves and prepare our circle of influence for whatever winter plans to offer.

I know that not everyone is like me and I’m not trying to make you like me. I’m a planner.  I am saying that some things will go better for us when we prepare for them, to look ahead, to be aware of the change that is in front of us.

Fear is saying “what if”.

Faith is saying “it shall”.

Fear is saying “what if”. What if something bad happens and I just don’t know what to do. This is walking in a path of not really knowing what God’s will is for your life.

Did you know that’s the number one question most people have? What is God’s will for my life?

Not all of the time, but mostly that is a fear-based question, to some degree. Now, I don’t mean to shame anyone by making that statement. I’ve asked God that very same question. Many times. 

Why do you think it’s the number one question most people have? Because they haven’t prepared to ask the question. 

We’re not just talking about watching a three minute YouTube video on how to do something and then you’re able to do it. Mastering a craft is something that is eroding away in our culture.

We cannot truly prepare out of fear. 

Preparing is not playing out different scenarios in your head of what might happen. That’s still operating out of fear. 

Preparing is not something you do in one action. It’s done over time and it’s more of a mindset. Preparing is done with confidence, it’s done with assertiveness, and most importantly, all of it is encompassed by faith. 

Faith is saying “it shall”. Faith is saying that change is coming, God is Lord of all. We don’t know what is in store for us during this winter season that is coming, but now it is time to LISTEN. Now is the time to listen for that still small voice for instruction. Now is the time for Him to be that “light unto your path”. We ask God to guide us, we ask Him to direct us. How do we do that?

We will not listen to someone we don’t trust. We don’t trust someone we don’t know. And we will not know someone if we don’t spend time with them. 

And the best way to get to know God,. . . is to read His Word. Reading God’s word, getting to know His truth and what He says about you is the most important thing we can do to prepare ourselves for anything,. . . anything that can come against us. No matter how bitter the cold of winter may be, we will be prepared for it because we have the truth set in our hearts. 

So, I will say it again, I have this on a sticky note in front of me.

Preparing is not something you do in one action. It’s done over time and it’s more of a mindset. Preparing is done with confidence, it’s done with assertiveness, and most importantly, all of it is encompassed by faith.

Just like in this season of Fall. We are Cutting Fire-Wood, Prepping for cold and hard times, harsh weather/environments, Dressing warmly with protective coating, Things may not go as expected, We need to be prepared for that. But I think one of the lessons fall has to teach us is that we can be prepared for whatever life can throw at us. 

When we get to know the One who gives us life, He gives us the answers we need in the exact time when we need them. 

When we get to know the one who gives us life, then, we are prepared. 

We have an answer to “what is His will for my life”. Because He is just waiting to spend time with us, so He can guide us into Living the Freedom Life. 

That’s the original plan! It’s not some secret that He wants to keep from you. 

He wants you to know His plan for you. But in order to find it out, we have to spend time with him.