Buckle Up: The Sacred Roller Coaster of Life!

If life were a theme park ride, I’m pretty sure I’d be the one in the front row with my eyes squeezed shut, alternating between screaming in terror and laughing hysterically. It’s been a season of whiplash, a literal roller coaster of ups and downs, twists and turns. One minute I’m soaring at the highest peak, and the next, I’m in a free fall that leaves my stomach somewhere back in the perimenopause years.

But here is the wild thing about this ride: even when it’s fast and unexpected, God is the one who designed the track.

The Highest Peak: Welcome, Theo!

Just when I thought I was stuck in a waiting room, God dropped a miracle right into our arms. Our grandson, Theo, decided to make his grand entrance a little early, proving once and for all that my carefully curated calendars are mostly just suggestions to the Creator of the universe. Watching Gracie and Kelan step into parenthood has been the ultimate high. There is nothing like a new baby to remind you that joy is real, God is faithful, and that I am definitely old enough to be a grandmother (even if my head is still arguing with the mirror about it).

The Steep Drop: Saying Goodbye to Pepper

But as every roller coaster enthusiast knows, you can’t have the highs without the drops. Losing my sweet Pepper after eleven years felt like a sudden, jarring descent into a dark tunnel. The silence in the house is still loud, and I still find myself looking for her tail-wagging greeting every time I walk through the door. It’s a heavy, heart-aching kind of sadness. Yet, even in that low, I’m reminded that God cares about the sparrows… and our beloved poodles! And He is intimately close to the brokenhearted.

The Sharp Turn: Leaving the Church

Then there was the sharp, disorienting turn of leaving our ministry role at the church. It was an anguish I didn’t see coming—the “limbo land” where you leave your identity at the door and wonder who you are without the title. It’s awkward, it’s messy, and it makes Sunday mornings feel a little like I’m wearing my shoes on the wrong feet.

The Safety Bar: God is Good

Through the whiplash of Theo’s arrival, Pepper’s departure, and our own ministry transition, there is one constant safety bar holding me in: God is good.

Life’s journey isn’t trial-free, but as we grow, we realize that no matter how hard the times are, the ride always revolves back toward His grace. We can find humor in the absurdities—like trying to navigate Menopause while grieving a dog and rocking a newborn—because we know the Author of our story has a plan far greater than our wildest imagination.

So, I’m choosing to enjoy the journey, savoring the twists and appreciating the highs. God is in the exhilarating peaks and the quiet, peaceful valleys alike. If you’re on a roller coaster of your own today, just remember: you don’t have to be the one steering. Just hold on tight to the Guide.

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