Brizzle Drizzle

‘As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.’ Isaiah 55:10-11

I want to tell you about Brizzle Drizzle. Coming from one of the driest places in the country, this is a new phenomenon to me. It’s utterly incredible and what happens is this: you look out of the window and it’s definitely not dry, but it doesn’t really look like it’s raining. So, you go outside and realise there’s a kind of heavy mist in the air, but it still doesn’t feel like it’s raining. You walk to where you’re going and when you get inside you realise that you’re wet; like you’ve been out in the rain. But it hadn’t really felt like it was raining.

This sums up welcome week for me (but please don’t associate the use of a rain metaphor with the idea this has been a negative experience, because it hasn’t). Each day has had new information, new people and new experiences but it’s all felt manageable. I’ve enjoyed each day and, although tired, I was feeling on top of things. Today I’ve reached a moment of realisation that I’m soaked! All the little pieces of information add up to a lot of new things to take in. All the new people add up to a whole new community that is already incredibly important in my life. The short acts of worship each morning have left me saturated in God’s graciousness and love.

And I’ve been left reflecting on life and Brizzle Drizzle. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like anything big is happening, but we shouldn’t dismiss the little things; enough drizzle can get you very wet! And this can be both negative and positive. Enough little things weighing us down, getting in the way of our relationship with God, can have a big impact. I’m expecting to find this in student life (and ministry!). But I also feel sure that college and community will be watching for it too. This week little encouragements have meant a lot; letters from home have been lifelines to a past I want to hang onto as I head in a new direction, a smile or touch on the shoulder from a new college friend has given energy to go to the next class, and a game of thrones reference in a lecture has allowed a chance to breath out in the middle of an intense hour of learning.

The little stuff matters. I pray that you will be drenched unknowingly this week in a way that helps you flourish and grow.