Grace World Outreach Church
Day 10
New Beginnings
By: Sam Lopez
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not
perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in
the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19, NIV)
There’s something about the word new, isn’t there? It makes you pause. It stirs up hope, a chance to start fresh, to begin again, to find purpose when you thought it was gone.
Back in 1998, I felt God call me into ministry. A year later, I packed up what little I had and headed off to Southeastern University. I thought I knew exactly what God had for me: youth ministry. That was my dream. I met Amber, we got married, and became youth pastors. For the next 20 years, that’s what we did. It was our heart, our world, and what we believed we’d do for the rest of our lives.
Then, one day, everything changed. We experienced a season that brought deep hurt, the kind that makes you step back. We didn’t just step away from a position; the pressure, the pace, the expectations… ultimately, we stepped away from the dream we had for our lives, unsure if we’d ever go back into ministry.
But God wasn’t finished. I didn’t know it and couldn’t see it, but He was working in the quiet. He was doing something new in us, even when we felt broken. Moving to Grace World and stepping into the world of Christian education wasn’t part of my plan. But God knew. Jesus lit a fire in me for something new.
The dream over my life isn’t any different; it’s still youth ministry. It just so happens that it isn’t behind a pulpit preaching, but in a school speaking life and truth through education to a brand new generation of leaders.
Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” God is always doing something new, even in the middle of hard seasons, even in the in-between.
Maybe you’ve been there too, confused, tired, wondering what’s ahead, and you’re left asking, “Now what?”
I want you to know, God isn’t done with your story. Not even close. He specializes in new beginnings.
Reflection:
- Have you ever walked through a season that felt like an ending, only to realize later that God was preparing a new beginning?
- In what area of your life do you sense God saying, “See, I am doing a new thing”?
- What step of surrender do you need to take today to make room for the new thing God wants to do in you?
- Take a moment to thank God for both the endings and the new beginnings. Write down one way you’ve seen His hand bring renewal out of what once felt broken.
Prayer:
Father, I surrender this year and every part of my story to You. Thank You for the seasons that ended and for the new beginnings that followed. When I can’t see the way forward, remind me that You are making streams in my wasteland and paths through my wilderness. Do something new in me today, Lord. Renew my heart, my purpose, and my hope. In Jesus’ name, amen.