Life can be challenging.
And change can be hard.
Sometimes change is something we choose. Other times, change chooses us.
A relationship ends. A job changes. A door closes. Someone we love is no longer here. Life shifts without asking whether we are ready, and suddenly, we find ourselves standing in a place we never expected to be.
Starting again sounds inspiring until we are the ones who have to do it.
It may require us to face what did not work, release the future we imagined, and move forward without having every answer.
Sometimes we are not afraid because we lack faith. We are afraid because we remember what it cost us the last time. We remember the disappointment, the rejection, the work, and the loss.
So, we hesitate.
We tell ourselves we need more time, more confidence, more resources, or a clearer sign. But courage does not always arrive before we take the first step.
Sometimes courage meets us along the way.
There have been seasons in my life when I had to begin again without feeling ready. I did not have a clear plan, and I did not always understand what God was doing. I simply knew that I could not remain where I was.
We can appreciate what a previous season gave us and still recognize that it has ended. We can miss what was and still make room for what is next. We can be grateful and grieving at the same time.
Starting again does not mean that what happened did not matter. It means we are choosing to believe that our story is still being written.
I am standing in this place right now, and I am no longer ashamed to say it out loud.
There was a time when I felt ashamed. I wondered what people would think about where I was in life or why I had to begin again.
But hey, it is life.
Life changes. Things happen. Plans shift. Sometimes we find ourselves starting over in places where we thought we would already be settled.
Every day I wake up with breath in my body, I am grateful. I understand that if God allowed me to see another day, He still has purpose for me in the earth. So, I am working on the things He has intentionally placed in my heart and trusting Him as I move forward.
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God knows the plans He has for us—plans for our well-being, hope, and a future.
And 3 John 1:2 speaks of prospering and being in good health, even as our souls prosper.
That matters to me because prosperity is about more than money or accomplishments. I want my soul to prosper too. I want to be whole. I want to be healthy. I want to walk in peace. Most importantly, I want to fulfill the purpose God has for my life.
I may be beginning again, but I am not beginning without God.
And I am not beginning without purpose.
If you are also standing at the beginning of something new, please remember that you do not have to rebuild everything today. You do not need to know every step, and you do not have to pretend that starting over is easy.
You only need enough courage for the next step.
Send the email.
Complete the application.
Write the first page.
Make the telephone call.
Ask for help.
Pray again.
Try again.
Starting again does not mean you failed. Sometimes it means you now have the wisdom to build differently.
You are not beginning from nothing. You are beginning with experience, wisdom, faith, and a deeper understanding of who you are.
The next chapter may not look like the one you planned, but that does not mean it cannot still be meaningful.
Change can be hard.
Starting again can be scary.
But there is still life ahead of you. There is still purpose within you. And there is still time to begin again.
Around the Table
What is one area of your life where you know it is time to begin again?
A Thought to Purpose Challenge
This week, identify one step you have been afraid or hesitant to take.
Ask yourself:
What is the next step I can take with courage?
Then take it.
Your next beginning does not have to be perfect. It only has to begin.
Until next Tuesday…
Keep creating. Keep believing. Keep living with purpose.
— Kim M. Waller Founder & CEO, More Than Just A Thought LLC Where Creativity Meets Purpose