Ben Rector. Mumford & Sons. The Avett Brothers. Mmm hmmm.
Jack Johnson? Sure. Jason Mraz? Yeah I can swing that.
Sara Barielles? Regina Spektor? Oh yes please.
But Taylor Swift?
Never. Ever.
That is… until lately.
These days there only are two playlists in constant rotation on my ipod: 1 is worship with the likes of United Pursuit, Jason Upton, Helsers, etc. The other… is the latest Taylor Swift album.
[I can’t believe I just said that.]
In fact, my afternoon downtime was just spent painting my nails hot pink and jamming with my new friend, Taylor.
All I can say is… I’m in a new season.
In December I wrote that I found myself in the desert. I think it was more like the winter. Everything seemed barren. Things like hope and fullness and promise seemed to have frosted over. The only thing that seemed to be flowing in my life were tears.
But as I stepped off the plane in Washington DC a few days before launching to squad lead for the World Race in January, I sensed the seasons were changing, even before I could see it with my own eyes, or feel it with my own heart. I had a vision of frost melting, of roots moving and growing underground, of seeds sprouting beneath the soil. I knew there was movement happening, even though I couldn’t see it yet.
A week later I stepped off another plane. This time in South Africa. And I got on a bus to Mozambique. It’s not winter here. Not even close. I’m wearing tank tops and flip flops and finding refuge in the mango grove because I can actually catch a breeze here and maybe not sweat quite as bad for a moment.
My body is desperately trying to adapt to the sudden, jolting change in physical seasons. But the interesting thing is, with the change in the physical came an equally sudden change in the spiritual and emotional. Not only did I escape winter in the natural, I’m also no longer in winter in the spiritual. My body is struggling, but my heart… my spirit… they are spilling over with gladness and delight and whimsy and life. With hope and fullness and promise.
These days my tears come from laughing so hard.
And I walk around singing. And dancing. While I listen to Taylor Swift.
