New Beginnings and Good Intentions

New Beginnings. I don’t know about you, but this is the promise of each January. The Christmas decorations are in their boxes and put away, the yummy rich food and desserts are behind me, and the house is ready for deep cleaning. I always look forward to January. It feels like a fresh start, a reset of life. That was my plan this year. I was ready to clean out closets, finish my book, and get this blog out the first week of January. The New Year feels like a fresh start, even though it’s just one second later than the prior year.

But in one second, everything can change.

Life sidelines our good intentions. John Lennon put it perfectly when he said, “Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans.” And so it was with me; the unexpected and unplanned text message. While visiting family in northern California, my husband was exposed to COVID. Suddenly we were scrambling. He needed to isolate himself. I needed to find a place to stay for a week, pack, and make sure he had enough food while I moved in with a friend and later with my son and daughter-in-law. Now we had to wait until we knew if Rick came down with COVID. Life had changed, plans averted. I needed to be flexible, to let God do a different thing in me and for me. My to-do list would wait.

Jesus is all about new beginnings. In one second, Jesus can enter our lives through faith. In one second, we can become a new creation in Christ. In one second, our life can begin anew. His new beginnings are not about our physical home but our spiritual home.

Peter received a do-over after denying Christ three times and pledging to die with Jesus. Paul got a fresh start on his way to Damascus after persecuting the church from city to city. In each case, God’s grace, forgiveness, mercy, and unconditional love resulted in restoration and a new purpose for their life. A decision to turn around, change course, and follow the voice of God ultimately changed the world.

Receiving a New Beginning

We can receive a new beginning regardless of how old we are, where we are, or the circumstances. Some new beginnings are unwelcome and born out of grief, loss, and unexpected life events. Nonetheless, they are opportunities for God our Father to do something new. He will heal our broken hearts and then allow us the privilege to come alongside another fractured soul to comfort and encourage. Whatever your unique starting point, I hope you will turn it over to your creator, who will repurpose your pain or refresh your joy to bless others. His purpose is to grow us closer to our Savior Jesus in all circumstances.

Some of my friends chose a word for the year, like joy, grace, and kindness. As I was thinking about my word, I realized it is two words, faithful flexibility. You would think I would be flexible after two years of constant changes due to the pandemic. But I am all about control (not one of my better qualities). I like to plan and anticipate. I love my to-do list. God reminded me I didn’t need to stress over my unfinished list. God is faithful. He gave me unexpected time for rest and refreshment as I stayed in my friend’s Casita and later at my son’s home an hour away. We took long walks, talked, and played cards. I met their church home group. All blessings, all new opportunities. Not the new beginning I had planned, but better. Except I missed my husband, of course. Even as I write this, I realize how many items on my checklist are unimportant and can wait.

The tasks on my to-do list are time fillers but not life-givers. Life givers draw me closer to Jesus, to my family and friends. Life-givers are opportunities to pray with and for loved ones in my life facing physical and spiritual challenges. I want my life to be life-giving.

Each day is another opportunity to spread the life-giving love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Praise be to God.

Blessings,

Personal Parable practices:

How do I respond to unexpected changes in my life?
Am I willing to let God do a new thing?
What time fillers are keeping me from experiencing a new season or direction in my life?

Personal Parables is the blog of Dyann Shepard. Get Dyann’s complementary study in Proverbs and prayer guide, What to Do When You Don’t Feel Good Enough. If you need encouragement to remember the truth about yourself in times of doubt and anxiety, this free 5-day study is for you. Follow Dyann and Personal Parables on Instagram and Facebook. Dyann is available for speaking, guest blogging, and article writing.

In this new year, take some time to reflect. I’ve collected some verses for your meditation and a song that I hope will inspire a spirit of worship.

Scripture for Meditation

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV) – The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) – Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.