(This post was written by Michael Wallace, High School Pastor)

I love the fall season.  It seems like it always hits at the perfect time…summer has gone on for long enough and I am always ready for cooler weather and the change of the leaves.  One thing I realize as we enter autumn is that it is marked by death.  The grass withers, leaves die and fall from the tree branches, and flowers are no longer in bloom.  Sometimes I feel that way myself.  Stagnant, tired, unfulfilled, empty.  But it’s in these moments that I am reminded of the beauty of the spring.  Without the fall season, I don’t know that I would truly appreciate the colors and smells of May!  There is a life-death cycle throughout nature that we see every year.  And there is a similar and necessary process for you and me in our relationship with God.

This week we begin a new series at Catalyst, our Wednesday night high school experience, which will dive into the true meaning of being ALIVE.  As we identify the connections in life, death, and everything in between, I want to encourage you to join us.  Over the next few weeks we will be reading through the book of Colossians and you can follow along on our student website.  This daily reading guide can help you out whether you are in high school, are a parent of a high school student, or are just looking to answer the question “What does it mean to truly be alive?”

As the markings of the season continue to shift from life to death and back again, remember that wherever you find yourself in the cycle, there is a way to obtain life both now and forever.  But it might not be in the way that you think.