New Beginnings

Many people look at the calendar and for some reason January 1 is a time when they may routinely set as a logical place to start for making “resolutions” for starting a diet or setting goals for the future.  It’s a great time to do that with a new calendar to make those needed changes feel like there’s a new set of 12 months to work with.

I don’t think it’s the only time we should do that.  For the believer Communion is a great time to do that…every time we take it.  For students and teachers a new school year or semester is a good time to do that.  For missionaries…well…perhaps every morning is a good time to do that!

Rcently, we’ve seen a handful of new beginnings.

Starting today, our new homeschool year is underway.  Cameron is starting 11th grade and Dayton is starting 8th grade.  Beth’s classes (Algebra I & II and Chemistry) for our upper level MKs will begin a month from now when all the families are ready.

Yesterday, we celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary and so today, we feel like we’re beginning our journey toward #24.

Recently, one of our house church families moved to a new house (remember I posted about our Sunday service becoming a “moving experience”).  For them that was a temporary move and they may be making a more permanent move later this week (we’ll be there with arms, legs, and van ready to help).

A week ago Sunday, we drove another of our house church families try to find a new place to rent that would be closer to his work (so he could walk instead of paying for a bus both ways) and would be more affordable for them.  After over 2 hours of driving around, the only options we found were over twice their meager budget.  Living on a salary of $350 a month has its limitations and disappointments.  We’re praying they can find someone who can lead them to what they need so they too can have a new beginning of sorts.

Another new beginning has sprung up in our house church too.  Kristin, who came here from the USA about 10 years ago, has never had the opportunity to go home to visit her family since then.  For the first time, one of her family has come here.  She has an adult daughter who just came down from the USA with hopes of living here permanently if it works out for her.  It was exciting to meet her and to see how God has granted one of Kristin’s long-time heart’s desire to be reunited with her daughter.

Today, Beth’s mom returns from her USA travels having been gone for 2 months.  She’ll be ready for a new beginning here in local life and ministry too.

All of these events have just happened in the past two weeks or so.  Why wait for January 1 to start afresh when today works just fine?

Lamentations 3:22-23(ESV)

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

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