I took my family to an arts fair at a local park on Sunday, and it felt like a thousand degrees in the shade.  The place was packed with people, which just made it hotter.  It was such a scorcher I had to carry my dog across the parking lot to keep her from burning her paws.

On days like that, autumn seems like a distant mirage.   Who could imagine throwing on a sweater or making s’mores by a bonfire when the temperature is pushing 90?

Yet, there I was at the arts fair standing in line for ice cream, when I saw it.  A single leaf see-sawing its way down from the tree above.  It’s coming, I thought.  Believe it or not, autumn really is on its way.

I know those leaves you see falling in August aren’t the real thing.  I’ve heard they can be caused by drought or stress or other late summer issues.  But still, even if they’re just the warm up act, they are a promise of something better to come.

Believe it or not, the first day of fall is just a month away, and with it comes all of the amazing experiences of the season: raking leaves, carving pumpkins, sipping hot drinks on cool, rainy mornings and so much more.

My favorite part about autumn, though, is that it’s a season of spectacular change.   The trees ignite with color.  The evening temperatures plummet.  And the world looks like a brand new place.  It’s as if creation is reminding us that anything really is possible with God.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with our work, relationships, health and even our spiritual lives.  Autumn reminds me that I am made by a God who specializes in change.  Though He never changes, He has more than enough power to help me make the changes I crave today.

The artist who paints the fall leaves is longing to paint a fresh scene in your life and mine.  As Jesus once reminded His disciples, “all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27 NIV).  So whatever seems impossible in your life right now, wherever you feel stuck, remember that a new season is coming soon, and every day is a brand new day with God.

For more fall devotional thoughts, check out Tales from the Leaf Pile: A Holiday Road Devotional, available October 2017.  For updates on the Holiday Road devotional series and other books from Jason sign up here.