I’m writing about the word “new” on a day that marks death in my life. Ten years ago, my baby girl stopped breathing and entered His heavenly courts. A part of me died along with her that day. Actually, many parts. I can still vividly recall those weeks and months following. My child’s body buried in the ground and my grief burying me (as many of you know, my dad died just weeks after her). Life seemed like it was over. I didn’t want this “new” life of mine. And imagining a future of actually living as more than a shell of a person seemed to be a complete impossibility to me. But God…

But God makes all things new. This is not just a cliched, overused Bible verse that sounds nice and sweet like a Hallmark card to be used for plastering social media like a cheesy phrase around the New Year. It’s truth. God renews us, day by day. What looks like an ending with Christ, in any way that you or I consider it, isn’t an ending.

The enemy would love to proclaim death over us. And I’m not just talking physical death (which we still are able to overcome by the blood + victory of Jesus), but those smaller deaths of pieces of ourselves and our lives that steal our abundance and life here and now with Jesus. The enemy would love to convince us our life is over–that “this” will never feel or be or look any different. But those are lies.

Coming alive to my life again was no easy, passive process. It wasn’t some miraculous overnight transformation–though I prayed countless prayers begging for such. It was through grit and grace something NEW began to happen. Slowly. It was through meeting God in His work and living out an active faith through new behavior and perspective shifts.

 You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

Colossians 3:10

In Christ we experience renewal and newness that keeps coming after us. God is doing something new in us as we lean into Him. Scripture tells us so over and over again. But maybe you’re wondering, how do we experience this “newness” in the places where life seems like it’s over for us?

• We saturate ourselves in God’s Word.
• We take our thoughts captive and replace lies with Truth.
• We spend time being still and surrendered before the Lord, open to receiving and hearing from Him.
• We take actionable steps to obey His Word and find practical ways to live according to it.
• We seek help and wisdom from Scripture, spiritual mentors, pastoral counselors, and other Truth-tellers.
• We show up every day.
• We open our eyes and hearts to diligently find God’s presence and provision in our lives.
• We record our habits, our changes, our prayers, His faithfulness… because writing helps us absorb and cement new patterns.

Early on in grief, each new day felt like a nightmare I didn’t want to be a  part of. But I showed up to the day even though I inwardly despised the days. I grieved and did the things I knew were good for my soul even though I didn’t feel like doing them. I showed up and God showed up. And He brought my weary places to life again. He healed emotional wounds and pruned unhealthy growth. Day by day, year by year. NEW life. Continual renewal.

Are you in a weary place, longing for something NEW? I encourage you to show up to your life and show up with Jesus, grab a pen and one of my Life Worth Living journals, and discover how to come alive in your life and experience His renewal. 

*This post is part of the 7 day hope*writers New Year writing challenge taking place on social media using the #hopewriterlife. Click here to join in.

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