Changes

     Spring is coming, and with it comes changes. Some changes are good like flowers growing, warmer days, making new friends and finishing another school year. Some times changes are hard like when a friend moves away--or you move, a grandparents becomes ill or a pet dies.

     We have both good and bad changes in our life. Sarah was like that too.

     Abraham and Sarah, then called Abram and Sarai, lived in Ur of the Chaldeans along the Euphrates River in what is now southern Iraq. This was an important city in the ancient world.  Abraham was probably a very educated man, and Sarah most likely had all the luxuries of life.

     Abraham's father, Terah, decided to move the whole family from the thriving town of Ur to the land of Canaan-- a land very different from Ur. The family packed up and said goodbye to their home and all they knew. Then they set out. But for some reason, Terah stopped halfway to Canaan in the village of Haran in what is now southern Turkey, and the family remained there.

     Sarah's life took a dramatic turn when she left behind the art, culture and thriving businesses to follow her family. The Bible doesn't say much about this move, but we can guess that it was hard for Sarah to leave her life in Ur to become a traveler and then reside in Haran. Yet she accepted it, and the family stayed there until Terah's death.

      Once again Sarah had to pack up and leave all she knew to follow God's leading. The family journeyed another 600 miles into the area that is now modern Israel. Abraham and Sarah had faith in God and they obeyed him. In turn, God poured out his blessings on Abraham's family in generations to come.

    Changes aren't always easy. Eve had to leave the beautiful Garden of Eden, Mrs. Noah had to leave everything behind knowing it would all be destroyed, and Sarah had to leave behind a bustling city for Nowhere Ville. Yet the Bible doesn't mention them complaining about the changes. How do you handle changes? Read each sentence below and choose a, b or c to complete it.
If my dad were to announce a  move I would be:   

A excited                          
B upset              
C anxious

Starting a new school:                                      

A  is a chance to try new things. 
B  means leaving friends and activities behind.     
C might be okay

I like:
A new experiences          
B things to stay the same  
C some changes in my life

Did you mark A's, B's or C's? If you marked:

A's  You welcome change. Moving to a new home or starting a new school is a chance to try new activities and make more friends. Chances are, you aren't a bit shy. It's easy for you to adapt to change.

B's You like things to stay the same. You may be shy and find it hard to adapt to change or you may just like your life as is and don't welcome any changes right now.

C's You are cautious about change. You welcome changes you can control, but you need time to get used to the idea of a new place or new routine. Once you've settled in, you are okay.

     There may be changes in your life you don't have control over. Try to face them with a positive spirit like Mrs. Noah and Sarah. Trust that God is in control even when you don't see him at work.