Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis – the act of change in at least two distinctive phases. From the Greek, meaning “to change form”, usually from the inside out.

Yes – you are in the right place! This is still Transitions by The Book – only we are undergoing a “transition”of our own, or more correctly, a metamorphosis – change from the inside out. After 71 posts since mid-February, we are trying to enhance the experience for you, our readers, as you find a little quiet space here each day to commune with God. For the last several months, a devoted group of experts have donated their time to help us create a user experience we hope will be more in keeping with the devotional nature of these posts. Little did it ever cross my mind that this blog would touch the hearts of so many people who have become ongoing readers offering words of encouragement and feedback in this space.

Not that there was anything wrong with the old format, but it became increasingly apparent to us that there was room for improvement; and this fueled our decision to accept the offer of gifted people to help us transform this space into something that we hope you will find very special. Not all the changes are complete, but today, the National Day of Prayer, marks the unveiling of our new look, including several additional new features. And this whole process has been quite an experience for me – as I am certainly not gifted in the areas of design, colors or graphics – and I am amazed at what these talented co-laborers have been able to draw from my vision; and how they have created what I already think of as sacred space.

And so, I thought it would be appropriate to pull back the curtain a little and explain the reasons for some of our changes – nothing has been random; and I admit that I have left this process to others, claiming God’s promise that He has placed the right people in my path to assist me on this journey. Once again, I have come to depend on Hebrews 13:20-21, the verse I referenced in the first post I wrote on my 58th birthday, February 19th. It reads,”May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

So….eventually, you will be greeted by a photograph each time you enter this site; what I call a “centering image” that I hope will mark the beginning of your time with God. As it fades, the text will appear, with each day’s post in the upper left corner. We have removed distracting colors; and focused on black, white and some red, symbolic of the Bible. At first, I was a little freaked out by the lack of distractions, but I have come to appreciate the clean lines and concentration on God. A thin strip at the top will remain as a reminder of the image that appeared when you entered this site.

And, please notice our new logo – top right – The Bible, in red, with Christian elements, such as the overlapping ichthys images (the traditional Christian “fish”), which can also be interpreted as a compass, for direction to Christ, our True North; or perhaps a flower, signifying growth in Christ. And the words, below the mark – the drawn out “transitions”, because transitions take time, the flowing script, and “The Book” in red, just like the Bible above it.

And you will also see that we have added a place for prayer requests – so you can communicate prayer concerns with us. And, in case you would like to go back and re-read related posts, we have added that option as well. I am really excited about one final thing we have included. If you like, you can now sign up and have each post delivered to your inbox if you would rather not visit us each day – in other words, we now offer free home delivery!

You can tell that I am excited about our “metamorphosis” – because this change has been happening for some time, but today it is visible to you. So please join me in thanking Jeff Pope and the Simplexity team, who have created and programmed this site; Lori Long and the Links Creative Alliance who have carried the burden of enhancing the user experience to focus more deliberately on God; and to Lori Fox for working so diligently to create our new logo and scripted name. They have all donated their time, talents and resources to this effort. I also wish to thank Dr. Peter Furno, a dear friend, who has supplied the beautiful images of God’s creation which will soon become a part of each visit.

Before I close for the night, I would be remiss if I did not mention that this ministry has grown the same way each of us grows in Christ – from the inside out! The Holy Spirit, through the agency of God the Father works in our hearts as we endeavor to become more Christ-like. Hopefully, as our individual metamorphosis becomes more complete, the change is visible to others and that is when we can become truly effective in being the light of Christ to the rest of the world. But never think that this change is visible to others until it has occurred in our hearts. And, just like our transition, this does not happen instantly, but is a process, and God does not leave anything to random chance. There is a reason for every change in us, just like I have shared with you this evening.

So my encouragement is that God is not done with you, and he has great plans for your life. And my prayer is that you will embrace your individual metamorphosis and change to become more Christ-like as your progress in your Christian walk. I also pray that you will continue to honor us with your dedication to our site and that we have become, in some small way, a part of your worship each day; reveling in the love of the Lord of the universe. Have a great day, and thanks for being a part of this effort.