Seasons - Will Cooke

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Eight and a half months into the fellowship and I am truly starting to appreciate it for what it is. After reading that, I’m sure some people are scratching their heads and wondering what the heck I’ve been doing the past eight and a half months that I’m just now appreciating it. I would love to tell you that The Fellowship has been the best year of my life, but that would be lying to you. It has been one of the hardest years of my life, which is considerable if you know what I have been through. However, I appreciate the heck out of The Fellowship because of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
The Lord’s sense of humor gets me every stinking time. Throughout this year I have been through many seasons, I’ve gone through darkness and bitterness, happiness and joy. I’ve had a time to weep and a time to laugh. I’ve mourned and I’ve danced (v. 4), I lost myself and I sought after the Lord and He helped me regain myself (v. 6). I have loved the Fellowship and I have also hated the Fellowship (mostly housekeeping…) (v. 8).
Through all of this I have slowly been able to see the Lord at work through seven of the coolest people I know. They have embraced my darkness and pushed me back into the light. They came alongside of me and helped me find who I truly am when I lost my way. They have kept me positive through it all even when I am scrubbing toilets or making a bed for the 100,000th time. I am so thankful for the Lord and His sovereignty, His goodness, His faithfulness, and most of all His grace. I am appreciative of the dark seasons because they have given me a reason to celebrate the light seasons.
“If you’re not done working, God, I’m not done waiting.” –Hillsong
Finally, I am thankful that God has been working through all of this and is still doing good work through me and the community of eight believers I have lived with for the past eight months. The Fellowship has taught me to become acquainted with the treasure within “the wait,” and I am looking forward to many more seasons to come.

- Will Cooke