Times and Seasons

The Sow & Go Show

Episode 6: Times and Seasons

When to Go, When to Slow, and Why Your Heart Matters More Than Your Calendar

I'll never forget watching a man step off an international flight into a Sydney winter wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He'd come from somewhere warm and clearly hadn't checked the forecast. The look on his face when the cold hit him—pure shock. He was completely unprepared for the season he'd walked into.

It's a funny image, but it's stuck with me over the years because it captures something I see all the time in ministry. You can be standing in the right place, doing the right thing, surrounded by the right people—and still be completely out of step with the season God has you in. And that disconnect? It costs you. Sometimes dearly.

Braden and I sat down recently to record an episode of The Sow & Go Show on this very topic. How do we discern our times and seasons? When do we press forward, and when do we pull back? And underneath all of that—what's really driving us?

What I didn't expect was how personal the conversation would get.

A Wedding and a Brave Decision

Braden dropped some big news early in our recording: he's engaged to Kathy, with a February 2026 wedding on the horizon. I hit the applause button on our soundboard—because honestly, I'm thrilled for them.

But then came the second announcement, and this one really got me. After the wedding, Braden and Kathy are stepping back from frontline ministry for twelve months. A full year to invest in their marriage before diving back in.

In a ministry culture that often celebrates busyness and availability, this is countercultural. It takes guts. But it's also deeply biblical. Braden pointed to the Old Testament practice where newly married soldiers wouldn't go to battle for a full year—God's design for building strong foundations.

"A cord of three strands is not easily broken," he said. "We want to build a Christ-centred marriage... so that when challenges come, we can stand against them."

I hit the applause button again. Because here's the thing—I've seen too many ministry marriages crumble under the weight of "just one more thing." Braden's choosing a different path. And I reckon the generations after him will thank him for it.

The Strange Tension of Seasons

Here's what I find fascinating. Right now, as a ministry, Fire and Rain is in full "go" mode. Doors are opening, opportunities are exploding, there's favour everywhere we turn. We're about to launch a massive gospel festival, and the next two weeks are going to be day and night, night and day.

And yet, in the middle of that, Braden is stepping into a season of rest.

This is the strange tension of seasons in the Kingdom. The ministry might be going full throttle, but your season might be different. General seasons affect all of us—what God's doing globally, politically, in the Church. But then there's your personal season. And they don't always line up neatly.

I talk to people all the time about this. I'll be encouraging someone to lean in—"It's go time! Don't hold back!"—and they'll tell me the Lord's just told them to take a sabbatical. Or the reverse. We look at each other a bit puzzled, but that's the reality. Your season is yours.

So How Do You Actually Know?

Braden and I talked through this at length, and a few anchors emerged.

Prayer comes first. And I don't mean a quick "Lord, what should I do?" Braden mentioned praying with Kathy for five or six hours to discern their next steps. Real clarity often requires real time. We're not great at this in our instant-answer culture, but some decisions demand that we slow down and genuinely wait on God.

Scripture provides parameters. Exodus 14:14 tells us there are times to be still while God fights for us. Romans 5:6 reminds us that God knows the right time—Christ came "at the right time." The timing isn't ultimately ours to manufacture. We can position ourselves, but God sets the clock.

Unity with your spouse matters. If you're married, you and your partner need to be on the same page. I don't think God often calls one half of a marriage in a completely different direction from the other. If you're not aligned, that's worth pausing on.

Trusted community offers perspective. Talk to mentors, family, friends who know you well and can speak honestly. Sometimes they see what we can't.

When Everything Goes Wrong

Here's where it gets complicated. What do you do when you've discerned a direction, stepped out in faith and then everything falls apart?

Braden shared a recent experience that tested this. A missions trip that should have been straightforward became a logistical nightmare: four cancelled flights, passport issues, visa complications, significant financial loss. At 1:21 am, after being turned away at the airport, Braden went home wondering if God was closing the door.

But after prayer, hours of it, he and Kathy felt convicted to try again. Braden booked another flight and went alone.

The result? Two youth revival nights that saw healing miracles—back pain, knee pain, headaches disappearing. And for the first time ever, local churches from different denominations came together in unity. Braden described watching it unfold with goosebumps, the Holy Spirit moving as people jumped and praised and looked at each other in wonder: This is what happens when we come together.

"The enemy didn't want the local church to come together," Braden reflected. "That was the cause of all the challenges. He didn't want that night to go ahead."

This hit me. Because I've seen people give up at the first obstacle, assuming a closed door. I remember a training camp we ran where a volcano—a literal volcano—exploded and shut down the international airport. Some team members turned around and went home. But one guy? He flew to another airport, spent two or three days sleeping in terminals, drove seven hours, and made it. He said it was one of the best things he'd ever done.

Sometimes the door isn't closed. It's just rusty. And you need to push.

The Question Underneath

But here's what really got me thinking during our conversation. Braden kept coming back to one question: What's your motivation?

"When it's of the Lord," he said, "He will often allow difficulties to come so that He can ask you: what's your motivation? Why are you doing this? Are you doing it because you've been asked to, because you feel you have to, or because you want to serve Him and love the people He's called you to serve?"

I've thought about this a lot. Someone once told me: if someone can talk you into it, the devil can talk you out of it. If I'm motivated by people-pleasing, by my own ego, by someone else's expectations—those things come and go. But if I'm motivated by a genuine call from God, by love for Him and His people, I'll have the resilience to push through when everything screams "quit."

Braden put it bluntly: "Never let ministry become a chore." There will be seasons where your heart shifts from "I want to serve" to "I have to do this." He's experienced it. I've experienced it. When you notice that shift, don't condemn yourself—but don't ignore it either. Stop, spend time with the Lord, and reset.

Because if we do things without love, Paul tells us, it's just a clanging cymbal. And I don't want to make noise. I want to make disciples.

When Opposition Reveals the Heart

There's a phrase I've been pondering: God offends the mind to reveal the heart. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are not offended by me." Sometimes He'll allow something that offends our logical mind—cancelled flights, closed doors, seemingly pointless delays—but it's not an offence to the heart. It's a test of what's really in there.

I think about Job. The enemy came at him relentlessly, but God allowed it. And what came out? Gold. The trials didn't destroy Job—they revealed who he really was.

So when opposition hits, I've started asking different questions. Not just "Is this God or the enemy?" but "What is this revealing about my heart? How might God be using this to refine me? What gold might come out the other side?"

When Braden got turned away at that airport at 1 am, he could have become bitter. Offended. Given up. But instead, he let it reveal his heart—and his heart was still "I want to serve these people. I want to see them come together." So he went again. And God moved.

Playing the Long Game

I want to be honest about something. I'm already planning a sabbatical for 2027. Just as Braden comes back into full ministry, I'll probably be stepping out for a season.

Why? Because I want to do this for fifty years, not five.

Nobody starts something hoping it will end poorly. You don't have kids hoping one day they'll crash and burn. But without intentional rhythms—without understanding your times and seasons—burnout creeps in. Foundations crack. Marriages strain. Hearts harden.

I talk to my kids about this with Lego. You can't build a tall tower without a firm foundation. If you rush the base, the whole thing topples. It's the same in ministry, in marriage, in life. The seasons of rest aren't wasted time—they're foundation work.

Understanding your times and seasons isn't just about the next decision. It's about finishing well.

Questions I'm Sitting With:

What season am I actually in right now? Not the season I wish I was in, or the season others expect of me—but the one God has placed me in.

What is my motivation? Am I serving out of genuine love, or obligation? Am I running toward something, or away from something?

Am I okay with whatever God reveals? If He says "go," am I willing to push through opposition? If He says "rest," am I willing to disappoint people and step back?

Is this opposition a closed door, or a test of commitment? Am I giving up too easily, or am I ignoring a genuine "no" from God?

What does finishing well look like for me? And what rhythms of rest and engagement will get me there?

Go or Slow—Just Walk With Him

If there's one thing I want you to take from this, it's this: God is faithful. He will build His church. Our job is simply to line up with His heart—to walk with Him, not running ahead, not lagging behind.

If it's go time for you, then go. Push through the obstacles. Don't let the enemy's discouragement pull you off the field. Test that door—it might just be rusty.

But if it's time to slow down, to rest, to build foundations—then do that. Trust that God knows what He's doing, even when others don't understand.

Check your heart. Know your motivation. And remember: you're in this for the long haul.

Father, I thank You for everyone reading this right now. I pray that they would know the time and know the season. That they would discern, pray, read Your word, and hear from heaven. Give them Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us to walk with You—not running ahead, not lagging behind. We thank You for Your grace and mercy. Help us finish well. In Jesus' name, Amen.

— Andrew

Support Fire and Rain International

Fire and Rain International exists to ignite revival and raise up healthy, equipped ministers who can finish the race well. Through training camps, missions trips, and resources like The Sow & Go Show, we're partnering with the local church across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Here's how you can partner with us:

Give financially. Your generosity fuels youth revival nights, training camps, and church planting initiatives. Every gift—no matter the size—helps bring the gospel to those who haven't heard.

Pray with us. Join our prayer network and receive regular updates on what God is doing and how you can intercede.

Share this episode. Know someone wrestling with their own times and seasons? Pass this along. Sometimes the right word at the right moment changes everything.

Follow the journey. Connect with Braden on Instagram @braden_wood02 and visit fireandrain.org.au to stay updated on upcoming events and opportunities.

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