Beginnings

Take a moment and write down a few good beginnings in your life. If there was ever a time in your life for beginnings, now is the time. College students are at the beginning of so many exciting adventures with God.

I would write down "learning to drive" first. I hit so many cones that I was scared to death to drive on the "S" curves in Grand Rapids, Mich., (every big city has this obsticle course); but I loved learning how to drive and gaining some freedom. I loved the start of every athletic season. I enjoyed transitioning from soccer to basketball to tennis in high school. Certainly, my wedding day was a great beginning. Picking out our puppy was a great beginning. The births of my three children were unbelievable. Purchasing our first home, picking out paint colors, landscaping the yard and so much more was fun. These are just a few highlights of great beginnings for me. What did you write down?

In the start of the biblical record, these familiar words show up, "In the beginning, God…" If this is all we had as our Bible, it would be enough. All we really need to know is that God is here with you and me. God has always been. This makes all the difference, doesn't it? That alone should take care of your worries, stresses, difficulties and questions. It really should. "In the beginning…Elohim" refers to the whole Godhead.

Your whole life is ahead of you. I believe God brings beginnings for winning. He sets us up for success when things that glorify His name begin. As you head off to college or are already there, new beginnings are emerging.

We sometimes don't like beginnings because they mean change. Most of us are creatures of habit and don't like change. Change means adapting, shifting, adjusting, transforming. It might mean there is conviction over sin.

God brings beginnings for winning. The ultimate new beginning is when someone embraces Jesus as Savior. Paul tells us that we are "New creatures in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:15) when we come to know Him. This is a great beginning. Remember, God is with you during all these new and exciting beginnings. Take advantage of the starts you have. Start well and watch God work in and through you to change the world.