New Beginnings

It is not easy to start all over again from scratch. Whether you just dropped your egg on the floor and need to make an omelette or you  just got egg on your face and need to rethink some things. But, being a Christian calls us to face this very type of challenge all the time. It begins when someone decides to accept the fact that they are a sinner in need of redemption and allow Jesus’ atoning redemption to touch their life. Everything changes at that point and it could entail changing jobs, friends or giving up a lifestyle that you had. A true conversion brings New Beginnings.

The Bible recounts how God called Abram to leave everything that he knew for a new beginning. Moses had to do the same. We see people such as Ruth leaving her people and attaching and committing to the vision that God had given his chosen people. What of the tax collectors and fishermen who lived one way one minute and then became believers? They gave up all that they were accustomed to in order to follow Jesus. 

I have never been good with change. Always preferring the familiar over that which is new. It is a personality trait that makes one reticent to change, even if change would be for the better. The person with this type of personality tends to struggle a bit more with the idea of change. I know that it takes me longer to adjust to changing circumstances in my life, such as moving from Westchester County, New York to my new location about 300 miles away. 

 Following Jesus has improved my ability to be more at ease with change by allowing me to see God’s purpose in it. I talk such a good talk about following Jesus but, when push came to shove in my two real estate deals I was coming apart at the seams. I realized, at a certain point in my Christian journey, that no matter how good I try to be, or how hard that I try to work, that I will never be able to do it alone, without God. 

I fail to make the mark and when I do, I am humbled. Buying and selling houses made me reach my very maximum stress levels. Being separated from my husband at first felt like team work because, I knew that he was handling details in our old home whilst I did the same in our new home. But, when the level of regulatory madness resulted in my husband and I being separated for two and a half months, I was literally getting sick over it. 

At times like this knowing that our God has conquered this crazy world makes complete sense. The promises of God were my constant companion and I thought about them day and night. Like the one about God not giving you more than you can handle or, that God would never leave us or forsake us. How about that one? Towards the end of the financial transactions and all the massive paperwork (still not done), I thought that the stress would kill me. It didn’t because I am writing this today. But, even knowing that when our battles are done in this life are done, that we will be with the Lord helped me to feel at peace more often than not. 

As my New Beginnings start to unfold, there are so many answered prayers already happening. Like for instance, having good neighbors. There happens to be self-identified Christians living to my left and to my right. I was showered with kind greetings and all manner of welcome gifts. One neighbor has a green thumb and brought me a vase of the most beautiful dahlia that I have ever seen. Another neighbor brought by some locally made vodka ice tea. It is forty proof. I have not opened that bottle yet but it is a kind gesture.

I drink moderately and never create a scenario at my home for drunkenness. So, I could probably add some more of my cold brew tea to it to create something a little less potent. A man at my church gave me a homemade cutting board. I have been using that constantly. The most touching thing was that my new church prayed every week beseeching God on my families behalf as we went through our real estate transactions. 

There are so many new things to learn, so much paperwork to do but, I see that our New Beginnings have begun. Thank you God for your many promises and thank you that yet again, I can have a New Beginning.