You Can Begin Anew

Sunday Scripture

and a

Song

How many times have you wished for a "do-over"? In this life, we mess up. We make mistakes. That is the nature of humanity. 

God foresaw this would happen. He knew our need would be great for Him to pull us out of our despair. He knew our failures would feel like a huge weight around our necks, pulling us down and keeping us from knowing joy.

That's why He died for our sins. So that we can be free. Free to live and love and create new joy in our lives, despite our past and our shame. He takes all that away from us and creates in us a new beginning. Simply by sincerely asking Him to do so, and truly wishing to repent of our ways.

Prayer: Lord, I wish things weren't the way they are. I wish so much that my choices had not brought me to where I am now. I can't change the past, but with your help, I can change who I am going to be. Help me, Lord. Forgive my past mistakes, and lead me into a new beginning. I want to know joy and love, and I want to know You more. Walk with me through this day and always, and lead me.  In Jesus' name. Amen

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

"For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?"

Isaiah 43:19 NIV

We can be made new. Every single day. God breathes new life into us and we start again. No matter how many times we fall. He is there, to pick us up, hold us in our brokenness, and give us another chance in this life. Believe it, my friend.

Here's a link to a post I wrote about Leaving the Past Behind. I share my thoughts about how to let go of the past and move forward. We have to make a conscious choice to leave the past behind us, and learn to control our thoughts going forward. 

Tenth Avenue North has a wonderful song to remind us we are not defined by our mistakes. We are Children of the Most High. God loves us and wants only the best for us. We have to let go of our painful past and allow God to work in us to create something new. Many blessings, friend.

Tenth Avenue North - You Are More

Subscribers, please click on Hope to find to view this video on my blog site. 

Mobile readers, here's the link to view this on Youtube

I pray God finds you where you are today, and that you reach out to Him for healing. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Amen

Leaving the Past Behind

A new day has dawned. The early morning light was so bright that it nudged me awake through closed eyelids, urging me to wake up and begin my day.

Some days beginning again is easier than other days.

Other days it seems as if yesterday’s failures and disappointments have followed us into our tomorrows. 

                Too often our tendency is to look backward and wonder, what if?

But we can’t let regrets and painful memories keep us stuck in the past. Each and every day is a new beginning, and we can’t move forward if we allow ourselves to feel stuck in the past.

There is great freedom in being in control of our thoughts. We can choose where to focus our attention. It takes practice, a lot of practice, to change behaviors we've held so long. Think about the tremendous amount of energy we waste when we dwell on past events. What's done is done. We simply cannot change what has passed. We can learn from the past, but we must move forward. 

Reliving past hurts and disappointments leaves us wallowing in the misery of the painful emotions we experienced. Why keep ourselves tied up in painful memories?

It’s time to break free! 

We can make the choice to leave the past where it belongs, in the past, and focus our thoughts on where we are now and the direction we want to be going.

It does us no good to berate ourselves for past mistakes. We need to make the choice to move forward, breaking the pattern of dwelling on past mistakes and instead choose to look ahead, to the future!

We have only one chance to make our lives what we want them to be. If we waste time in the past, we are wasting our present. We need to live now, for this moment will never come again.

We can focus our thoughts on what we might want to improve in our lives. Then we can make a plan that will focus our your energy on something we can control. The only thing we have control over -- ourselves.

Much of the time, our lives feel out of our control.  We have so many demands on our time that it can be overwhelming. The one thing we can learn to have control over is our thoughts. It takes practice and focus to be in control, sometimes repeatedly pushing negative or unwanted thoughts away, sometimes out loud! Through controlling our thoughts we gain empowerment. And through empowerment we are inspired to keep moving forward.

When we feel in control of our thoughts, we feel more confident and assertive in our decision-making. 






We are able to move forward, keeping our focus where it needs to be, 
living in the moment 
and finding joy in the discovery of what each day has to offer.