Between "Before and After"

Change is a long process, in fact, a lifelong process. Our program is about assisting women to make changes they desire to make in their lives and introducing them to the biggest change-maker there is - God, creator and redeemer, known to us through Jesus Christ.

In 1967 I read a poem in HIS, a magazine of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, that has remained my all time  favorite. It was written by Lona Fowler. As we passed the halfway point in this 13 week session, we took some time to reflect on it. I want to share it with you.

                                       Middle Time

                             Between the exhileration of Beginning

                             and the satisfaction of Concluding
                             is the Middle Time

                                      of enduring, changing, trying,

                                      despairing, continuing, becoming.

                             Jesus Christ was the man of God's Middle Time
                             between Creation and...Accomplishment.
                             Through Him God said of Creation,
                             "Without mistake."
                             And of Accomplishment,
                             "Without doubt."

                            And we in our Middle Times
                                    of wondering, waiting, hurrying,
                                    hesitating, regretting, revising;
                            We who have begun many things--
                             and seen but few completed;
                            We who are becoming more -- and less;
                             through the evidence of God's Middle Time

                             have a stabilizing hint
                                     that we are not mistakes,
                                     that we are irreplaceable,
                                     that our Being is of interest
                                     and our Doing is of purpose,
                                     that our Being and our Doing
                                     are surrounded by AMEN.
                             Jesus Christ is the Completer
                                     of unfinished people
                                     with unfinished work
                                      in unfinished times.

                             May He keep us from sinking, ceasing,
                             wasting, solidifying --
                             that we may be for Him
                             experimenters, enablers, encouragers,
                             and associates in Accomplishment.