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Not Mine To Carry

Friend, if you're tired too, come sit with me for a moment. The leaves are beginning to turn, God is still faithful, and neither of us has to carry tomorrow today.

Brenda McKenzie

9/10/20262 min read

There is a tension I feel every September.

I step outside in the morning, and creation seems to be whispering a message of peace. The air is cooler. The garden is offering its final harvest. The leaves are beginning to hint at the colors to come. Everywhere I look, nature is preparing for a season of rest.

Then I come back inside.

The calendar is full. School forms need to be signed. Practices need to be coordinated. Meals need to be planned. Cars need repairs. Bills need to be paid. The pace of life seems to accelerate just as creation is slowing down.

Nature says, "Release."

The calendar says, "Hurry."

Perhaps that's why so many of us feel weary this time of year.

As women, we often carry summer expectations into an autumn season. We keep striving, pushing, and trying to accomplish more, while God's creation is quietly reminding us that not every season is meant for blooming.

Some seasons are meant for rooting deeper.

I'll admit that lately I've wrestled with my own fears. The responsibilities of raising a family are real. Unexpected expenses arrive at inconvenient times. Dreams that once felt exciting can suddenly feel risky. There are moments when I wonder if pursuing creative work is wise or if I should choose a safer, more predictable path.

Yet whenever those thoughts begin to spiral, God gently redirects my attention.

Not to my circumstances.

Not to my fears.

But to His faithfulness.

Jesus reminded us to consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. Creation has always been one of God's favorite classrooms. The trees do not panic when they begin to lose their leaves. The fields do not strive to produce fruit in winter. Everything moves according to the rhythm established by its Creator.

Perhaps we were meant to do the same.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the demands of this season, I want to offer you a gentle reminder:

You do not have to have everything figured out today.

You do not have to carry tomorrow's burdens this afternoon.

You do not have to earn God's provision through your striving.

The same God who faithfully guided you through previous seasons is already present in the one ahead. He sees every need before it arrives. He knows every concern you carry. He is not asking you to control the future; He is inviting you to trust Him with it.

So if September has left you feeling stretched thin, take a moment to notice what creation is saying.

The trees are not rushing.

The garden is not anxious.

The seasons are not competing with one another.

Everything unfolds in its appointed time.

And so will you.

Today, perhaps the invitation is not to do more, but to be present. To loosen your grip on what you cannot control. To find joy in the journey. To trust that even in seasons of uncertainty, God is faithfully at work.

The calendar may continue to say, "Hurry."

But God's voice still whispers, "Rest in Me." And that voice is always worth listening t