New Seasons of Authenticity | December Blog

Endings Lead to Beginnings

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Ecclesiastes 3.1-8

There is a season for everything, including endings and goodbyes. While goodbyes can be hard, goodbyes aren’t always bad. Sometimes goodbyes are just a representation of a new season. Seasons have endings and beginnings–in the spiritual and in the natural. And we need to recognize when a season has changed. It’s important for one season to end in order for a new season to begin. While it can be challenging to say “goodbye,” it’s important to celebrate the last season for what it was…while also letting it go. When God is inviting you into a new season, follow Him with confidence and authenticity.

Goodbyes can be gifts and a chance to celebrate the beauty of one season while embracing vision for another. God has given us seasons in the natural because change is a gift and there will always be seasons of change.

A Few Keys to Transition Seasons Well:

Ask God to show you your seasons! When you have a word from the Lord, it can be much easier to step out of one season and into another.
Don’t rush the transition–it can be tempting to make transition happen as quickly as possible, however, God has gifts for you in the process of transitioning from one season into the next.
Celebrate the “wins” you’ve had in your previous season.
Learn from the “losses.”
Ask the Lord for what you need to let go of and leave behind. He will give you keys uniquely for your situation.

New seasons often involve letting go of physical objects that we once loved, but now are no longer serving us, saying “no” to previous commitments, and cleaning house. You will see this transition reflected in the natural and the spiritual.

God knows the end from the beginning. If He’s inviting you to let go, then it’s because he’s inviting you into something new and beautiful. Therefore trust Him with your seasons.

Childlike Wonder
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18.3

Years ago, I–Katelyn–experienced a flood in my home. It was right after my housemates and I had decorated and made it feel incredibly homey. This was an incredibly stressful season. In order to cope with having the cement floors and portions of our walls ripped out during the holidays, my housemates and I decided to do Advent together. We each purchased a present for all of us and took time every day to open our community presents and make space for connection. We put up a tree in the middle of our ripped up living room and watched silly Christmas movies curled up on our couch (which had been moved to the dining room).

It was chaotic and yet…to this day, it’s one of my favorite holiday seasons. We chose to make joy and play a priority in the middle of a frustrating loss. Every single one of us agrees that that Christmas season was a highlight for us. When things are hard, MAKE SPACE TO PLAY. This takes back your power from difficult situations and reminds you that joy can still be your portion no matter what is going on.

You can find joy in any season. Play, laughter, and connection are life when facing challenges. In what area of your life are you lacking joy? Can you bring play and laughter into that area? Sometimes breakthrough comes when we become like little children and are willing to make the hard things full of play.

Love is More Important than Being “Right”
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
Matthew 7.3

In the last month, we have seen extreme emotions and volatility across the United States as the nation has reacted to the elections. Emotions have been at an all time high for many–extreme elation and extreme despair, depending on your political beliefs. One of the things that has been heartbreaking to witness is the volatile attacks towards people with different political views. I, personally, have beautiful friendships with kind-hearted people on both sides of the political line who simply want what is best for their nation.

Yet, the political and religious spirits would dehumanize people and reduce them to a single vote, opinion, or set of beliefs.

But God doesn’t do this. God looks at the heart, at the whole person and He loves outrageously. As believers, it is more important than ever that we are kind, compassionate, and loving to those whom we disagree with. No one, and I mean no one’s opinion is changed by having a fierce, impassioned argument. What dogma does is destroy relationships. What good is it being “right” if you lose friendships and you disobey the second commandment Jesus gave which is to “love your neighbor as you love yourself?” We are missing the heart of God when our opinions become louder than our love of others.

Jesus is full of humility. If we are to be like Jesus, then we also must be full of humility, seeking to listen rather than to be heard, seeking to understand more than to be understood. Many years ago, there was a politician who was maddening to me. I was consistently frustrated by this person. However, God gave me a dream about him. In the dream, I saw the extreme pressure on his shoulders and how he was desperately trying to do the right thing. In this dream, I hugged this leader and spoke encouragement over him. I still disagreed with most of his choices, but was able to see his humanity as prayed for him and blessed him.

God is inviting us to be kind and empathetic towards those with different worldviews. Perhaps you’ve been mistreated for your beliefs or you’ve lost relationships because of them. God is inviting us to pick up eyes of compassion, to lay down judgments, and love those around us the way He loves them.

Living in Your Authentic Identity in Christ
For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Psalm 139.19

God is inviting His people to walk in new and fresh authenticity! The world perceives authenticity to be doing anything you want and finding/making your own truth. However, the purest form of authenticity is when we walk in who God created us to be and we celebrate the ways God has uniquely created each of us. Authenticity is living out your identity in Christ even if others don’t always understand you. Once you know who God created you to be, you won’t want to be anyone else.

Authenticity is actually connected to freedom–the freedom of walking out your identity in Christ. When you are living in authenticity, you won’t be afraid of other people’s opinions or if they misunderstand you, because your identity is rooted in God. It’s imperative that we release everyone else’s opinions of us in order to step into who God calls us to be. It’s almost impossible to see who God calls you if you’re focused on everyone else’s opinions and expectations.

There is a level of vulnerability that comes with living authentically. It requires vulnerability to allow yourself to be fully seen for who you are. When we take off the masks and live wholehearted and authentic, it can be scary. But there is a great reward on the other side! And that is the gift of being fully known and loved for who you actually are, not who people expect you to be. In this season, God is inviting you to step into the next level of vulnerability and authenticity. In fact, authenticity can often feel childish--but that is the gift! Children don't know how to be anyone except themselves. It’s time to let go of the opinions of the crowds and pick up God’s opinion above all.

At The Crowning Jewels, it's our desire and our mission to bring encouragement, to build others up, and to bring comfort to people’s lives (1 Corinthians 14.3). Each month, our founder, Anne Jackson, and our main writer, Katelyn Alexander ask the Lord what He’s doing in the coming month and for any words of encouragement He might have for His people. We believe that prophetic words need to be encouraging and edifying. Moreover, with a corporate prophetic word, not all words are applicable to all people. If our words bless you, please take hold of them and apply them in your own life. If it’s not specific to you, please pass it on to someone else who might be blessed.

As always, the prophetic is a free gift from heaven and will always be something we freely share. As a prophetic business, it’s our mission to bring encouragement and edification to people through the free gift of prophecy, with our product being jewelry.

We at The Crowning Jewels believe in the absolute, transformational power of declarations. We know that truth comes by hearing (Romans 10.17), and speaking truth is an active way for us to renew our minds (Romans 12.2). We invite you to partner with what God is doing and say these declarations for the remainder of the month. We would love to hear what God does! Please email us your testimony at hello@thecrowningjewels.com.

Declarations

I am letting go of the past in order to step into the new.
I make space for play and laughter.
I embrace childlike faith.
I let go of the need to “be right” in order to love the way God loves.
I am coming out of hiding and walking in full authenticity.

Each month we design limited edition pieces of jewelry, only available for that month, handmade with words and charms that reflect the monthly prophetic word. If this word resonates with you and you'd like to wear a reminder of its truths, click the pieces below to shop!