Even though it’s only mid August and the temperature is still soaring to the 100’s; it’s time for back to school in Texas. No one is really ready, but ready or not; here it comes. Beyond the jolt back to steady schedules, assignments and carpool lanes is the unexpected joy and excitement that comes with starting a new year. It is a chance to start over.

Back to school and my starting a brand new journal correlated this year. It reallybrought home the excitement of having a chance to begin again. This is a totallynew year, a whole new grade for my children. Just when we got comfortable withhow we were living and what we were doing, we discovered a relief that comeswith newness.

I didn’t realize I needed something to get me out of my routine. God designedthe seasons of our lives to nurture our need for hope. As the seasons changeand night turns into day, God’s mercies are new every morning. We humansdesperately need a new start, even when we think we are happy with how thingsare going. We need to change.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, Because of the Lord’s great love, we arenot consumed. For his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; greatis your faithfulness. I don’t know about you, but I know I would behopeless without God’s faithfulness. I need a new start. It helps me getout of my comfortable routines. It encourages me to reexamine my life and whatI am doing. It encourages me to ask some important questions like What doI want to do differently this year? What is working for me and what isn’t? Thisis a whole new day to love and serve God.

I’ve been encouraging my children to think about what they want out ofthis opportunity to start anew at school. I applied what I had been preachingto my kids as they started school to myself. When I pulled out a nice clean journalI looked at it in a completely different way. I considered, How do I wantto use this journal? Do I want to divide it in sections—daily devotions,quotes from books I’m reading, thoughts from God, or do I want to use itthe same way I have been?

Yes, summer’s ending before its time always startles me; it shocks me intoa good reality. It causes me to remember how God makes everything new in my life.Each day I can start over and serve Him better. What kind of changes is God invitingyou to grow through today?