I'm currently in San Diego, CA preparing for my transition to Redding, CA in two weeks.
I've had quite a few transitions over the last four years. In May 2010, I graduated college. I took the following semester off (I was in an integrated teaching credential program, where you receive your degree and teaching credential together) and went to Mozambique, Africa, for two weeks that September. I finished my teaching credential in the spring of 2011, and then went back to Africa, this time Ghana, from June-July, staying there a total of five weeks that summer. In March of 2012, I traveled to Israel on vacation for a tour with a group from my church. We were there for two weeks. When I got back, I had one week before my next adventure. In April of 2012, I moved to Kona, Hawaii for Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and attended Discipleship Training School for five months. My outreach for the school was to Europe, so three of the five months I was in England and Germany. From September 2012 to September 2013, I lived at home in San Diego and worked as a full-time nanny. During February 2013, I went to Tanzania, Africa, for a missions trip that was two weeks. From September 2013-May 2014, I lived in Redding, CA and attended first-year at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). At the end of March, I went on a missions trip to Mozambique, Africa, for two weeks with a group from school. Since the end of May, I have been back in San Diego, working as a full-time nanny this summer. And that leads me to my next transition, where I will be returning to Redding, CA for second-year School of Supernatural Ministry in two weeks. All that to say, you'd think I'd be an expert at navigating transitions by now, but that's certainly not true!
However, here is what God is teaching me about transitions and how to be successful through them.
I am learning that is important to be aware of transitions and how I'm feeling and doing throughout the process. It seems as though everything is heightened and comes to the surface during a transition. In the past, they have tended to be difficult for me. As I recognize that transitions are going to be a regular part of my life, I want to learn how to prepare for them so that I can navigate through them successfully. *Keep in mind, everyone processes things differently, so the way I prepare and navigate through my transitions might look and be different than how you go about it. That's why it's so important to know yourself and what you need to be happy and healthy. And by successful, I mean maintaining who you are and your life without getting distracted and discouraged because of the transition. It means embracing the transition with a good attitude and thankful heart. Not comparing your life to others but appreciating the life God's given you.
Recently I've learned that there's power in our words. What we say matters and can either make or break situations, relationships, circumstances, and things. When it comes to transitions, here is what I've said about them in the past. "I hate transitions and they are not my favorite thing. Transitions are always hard for me no matter how often I experience them." Well, by saying those things I negatively prophesied them into how I will navigate transitions. It's seems like I dread transitions because I do not look forward to all the "stuff" that comes up during them and I don't know how to navigate them successfully. Last week I felt the Lord bringing this to my attention and telling me to make some declarations that are opposite of those things, so that I prophesy positively into this upcoming transition. He even took me a step further to believing that there's a shift happening from here on out in my perspective and heart regarding transitions. I will no longer associate with them negatively, but I will be genuinely excited about them.
When entering a transition, remember to:
1. Set your sights on how you want it to go and then just live it out (This one came from my mentor and friend, Jasmine)
2. Thank God for the season you are coming out of (Also courtesy of Jasmine)
3. You cannot declare a truth and believe a lie at the same time (Steve Backlund)
4. When you believe a lie, you empower the liar. (Bill Johnson)
5. Be aware of familiar spirits and old ways of thinking that surface and the freedom you have from that bondage
6. Praise and worship Him
7. REST
8. Journal
9. Read prophetic words
10. Get in the Word. Don't go one day without reading your Bible.
After writing these down, I proceeded to make a list of declarations to help me through this upcoming transition. Those are for me personally, so I will not share them on here. I encourage you to create your own for whatever you are going through and read them out loud daily. When you do, you will experience the change in your perspective and heart through the process of your transition.
Some other helpful tools God brought to mind:
1. Look back and reflect on your last season. What areas did you grow in? What did you learn?
2. Be alert and thankful in the present moment, wherever you are at in your transition. For me, that means enjoying the next two weeks with family, friends, and work.
3. Pray and prophesy into the upcoming season. Set your heart and mind to joyful anticipation of what is to come.
I found it so interesting that for me personally, the way that God has been preparing me for this transition is through rest. While there was a weekend full of great worship and teaching at a local church, I felt led to rest and not go. While I only have two Sundays left at church in San Diego, I felt led to not go today. Instead, I went to my favorite "spot" with God at a local beach and enjoyed my favorite drink from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I used this time with the Lord to write some of this blog in my journal and use the tools God has given me to prepare for this transition. I even left my phone in my car so that I had no idea what time it was and no distractions. I was in no hurry to be anywhere or connect with anyone except Jesus. It was a beautiful day. Now I feel well equipped to handle my upcoming transition by navigating through it successfully. To God be the glory!
