New Beginnings: How To Start Afresh

Raise your hands if you remember this post!

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The journey of Shalom Truths Magazine started with this post and it has been great so far. In a month’s time, we will be celebrating four years of awesomeness. For all who stayed with us and left comments from day one when it looked like we were headed nowhere, we see you, you are the real MVP.

Many of us have had an opportunity at new beginnings in our careers, relationships, finances…However, a few of us have let fear hold us back. Looking back now, I think it would have a had-I-know story if I had let fear stop me from starting out. The thing is I have learned a lot about New beginnings over the years, they can be very scary. Nobody likes the unexpected, we like everything to go as planned.

Here are a few nuggets when starting afresh:

Start from Somewhere

When I started this site,  I did not know it would eventually have a print magazine. It started as a wordpress.com site. As a matter of fact, I had come up with many excuses why I should not start a site. My writing was wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t going to start with a well-designed site but I knew I just had to start. Opening a WordPress site cost me nothing, why not give it a try. For many of us, starting that business, career, a blog, would cost us nothing than moving from our comfort zone. What is that one thing that you would start if money wasn’t the problem? Then you should start doing something about it. The obstacles and fear we have from starting may not exist when we start.

[bctt tweet=”The obstacles and fear we have from starting may not exist when we start.” username=”shalomtruthsmag”]

Stay Positive

There are days that you would question why you started. There would be days that you would feel like quitting. That is the right time to keep pressing on. I am glad I never gave in to my feelings. Everyone’s journey is unique, this is not the time to start comparing yourself with others. As a matter of fact, there are sometimes more to what we see on the outside. Some of those who we compare ourselves with are sometimes faced with the same challenges that we have.

Be Open

Be open to new experiences. Learn to let go of the old. Over the years a few things have evolved around here on STM. When I started I didn’t have a clear picture of where this was headed. I still may not have gotten the full picture, but I am very open and ready to dive into every new opportunity God brings my way. Be open to new areas of your life, new friendships, new adventures, new career…Stop playing it safe.

Trust God

Step out and trust God. Trust God to order your step. Trust him to guide you every step of the way. This cannot be overemphasized enough. If he gave you the vision, he will sustain it.

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Today is the first day of the month – like you don’t know that already.  I vividly remember the first day of January like it was yesterday, talk about time flying! I remain ever grateful to God for a new day. Remember that a few people started this year with you, but as a matter of fact they are no more….statistics prove that people die each day, as for me I say, I have not done anything to deserve this, I don’t know about you. Maybe you slept by taking drugs, but let me remind you that no drugs woke you up.

So here is the gist: time is ticking! There is a purpose as to why you are alive today. Discover that purpose and take steps towards it. I for one am taking a step with this blog. Do have you gotten a God given idea? Now is the time to start. Remember the parable of the talent, many of us have buried our God-given talent, now is the time to seek God in prayers. Paul charged Timothy in 2Timothy 1; 7 to stir up the gift of God in him.

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the

See Also

Pray and Work: Infusing Your Job with Your Faith

gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

There are seeds of greatness in you. Start by putting the deposits of God in you into use and see how it will multiply. Let me illustrate further with something that happened to me last year, a few days to go on a break from school, I had gone to the buttery several times to get water. Then I decided to pack my bags – while trying to get a few things beneath my bed, I suddenly discovered that I had water (as a matter of fact, I think it was bottled water).

Unknown to me, all the while that I had been going to buy water from the buttery, I had bottled water beneath my the bed. Everyone that had come to me for water, didn’t get because I felt like I had none. This is the case with many of us have hidden talents and all we need do just like Paul said is to stir it up. A lot of people have been affected by us not doing anything when we clearly should.

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I believe this post is as important as it was over three years ago. The only thing that limits new beginnings is fear and if only you can see into the future, then you won’t hesitate as much as you do right now. For some of us, it may be as simple as getting out of that abusive relationship.

[bctt tweet=”The start of something new may scare us but a hold on the past may scar us.” username=”shalomtruthsmag”]

It is as simple as:

1. Starting from somewhere
2. Be positive
3. Be Open
4. Trust God

P.s: This post has been updated 🙂 It was first published 1st of March, 2013.  Please leave a comment and kindly share.