Encouragement for Today

August 13, 2024 Are You Ready To Embrace Your New Beginning? TRACIE MILES Lee en español

“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:18-19c (NLT)

Standing on the cracked sidewalk in front of the dilapidated 1940s home I had just purchased, I could feel the weight of the project settling in. The ceilings were cracked, the floors were not level, and the smudged kitchen cabinets were falling off the hinges. Some windows were broken, others were boarded up, and as for the bathrooms … let’s just say “yuck.”

Yet I could see its potential. I had a vision of what I knew this little house could become. So as my heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and trepidation, I whispered a prayer: God, guide me through this journey.

In that moment, I recalled how God shapes and molds us, seeing the potential He has placed within us, stripping away the old to make way for the new. I thought of all the ways I’ve seen Him do this for me.

Isaiah 43:18-19c kept echoing in my mind: “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?”

Over the next few weeks and months, my friend and I rolled up our sleeves and got to work: demolishing walls, ripping up floors, and gutting the bathrooms and kitchen. With each step, transformation was taking place. Slowly, the house began to change.

New walls were erected, cabinets and counters created new functionality, fresh paint brightened everything, clean windows brought in sunlight, and modern fixtures brought life to once dreary spaces. It was hard work, but I found joy in the process, each task echoing the journey of spiritual growth and transformation.

And the day finally came when … there stood the house in all her cuteness. What was once broken and neglected, with an uncertain future, was now a testament to hard work, vision and faith. Transformed from the inside out. A new beginning.

As I looked around the house, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment. It was not just a project: It stood as a symbol of hope, renewal, and the incredible things that can happen when we see beyond the mess and trust in the future God has prepared.

If your heart longs for a fresh start, a new beginning, you don't have to let fear and doubt paralyze you. Invite God to begin His transformation process in you, and then invest in yourself and your new future, rolling up your sleeves and getting to work however He calls you.

No matter what you’ve experienced or where you are right now, God sees your potential. He is the Visionary who will give you a brand-new beginning.

Lord, I don’t like starting over. It’s scary and uncomfortable. But help me transform my perspective so I can stop feeling like I’m starting over and can instead view my new season as a fresh start, a place where anything is possible and where You will be by my side. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

If you are in an unfamiliar season of life right now, purchase Tracie Miles’ new book, God’s Got You: Embracing New Beginnings with Courage and Confidence. With biblical tips and strategies, this book will motivate you to make the best of your present, embrace your new beginning, and intentionally shape the future you want to have.

Even when we feel like we’re wandering, we don’t have to wonder where God is. Join us for our next First 5 study: Where Do I Belong? Finding Our True Home Through the Study of Exile in the Bible, beginning September 9, 2024. When you purchase your copy, you’ll get access to six bonus videos, by the Proverbs 31 Ministries team and other special guests, that will provide even deeper insight from each week of study! You can’t get these videos anywhere else, so purchase your study guide today!

ENGAGE

Visit Tracie’s blog today for more encouragement and for a renovation strategy you can apply to your own life! You can also subscribe and receive her free e-book, 10 Tips for Handling Change Well in Your New Season.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (NLT).

How might you feel if you adopted the mindset of embracing your season of new beginnings rather than wishing for the things that once were?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2024 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.