Starting Something New
New place, old nerves.
For a first day of anything.
The big idea
God is not waiting for you at the end of this. He is going with you into it.
What does “Starting Something New” walk through?
Not One Promise Failed
Joshua 21:45 · KJV
There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
In plain English
Not one of the good promises the Lord had made failed. Every one came true.
Written Looking Backwards
This verse is a review at the end of a long, frightening campaign. From inside it, nothing felt guaranteed. Afterwards, not one promise had failed.
Do Not Fear
Isaiah 41:10 · KJV
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
In plain English
God is with you, so you don’t have to be ruled by fear. He promises strength, help, and steady support.
“You are walking into something God has already been in.”
Where Wisdom Begins
Proverbs 9:10 · KJV
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
In plain English
The fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins, and knowing the Holy One is understanding.
Not A Spirit Of Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 · KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
In plain English
God doesn’t lead you by fear. He gives strength, love, and steady thinking.
New Rooms, Same God
New building, new people, same presence. That has been true of every new start you have survived so far.
Pray
God, go with me into this year. Steady my nerves. Amen.
Write it down
What are you most nervous about, and what do you want to ask God for?
He goes with you
Into every room you are dreading.
Which passages does this journey use?
4 passages, drawn from Joshua 21:45, Isaiah 41:10, Proverbs 9:10, 2 Timothy 1:7. Every verse appears here in the King James text with a plain-English line beside it, so you can read it without a commentary open. Allow about 7 minutes for the whole thing, or 8 short sittings.
- Joshua 21:45
- Isaiah 41:10
- Proverbs 9:10
- 2 Timothy 1:7
Read any of these in full on the complete KJV, or look the wording up independently at Blue Letter Bible.
More in Seasons of the Year
All Seasons of the Year →Advent: Waiting In The Dark
Four weeks of not yet.
Christmas Beyond The Story
What actually happened.
Lent: Forty Days Of Less
Subtraction as a spiritual practice.
Holy Week, Day By Day
The longest week in history.
Easter: The Morning Everything Changed
The claim the whole thing stands on.
New Year, Same God
Resolutions, and something steadier.