New months usher in new seasons, new beginnings, fresh starts. The first day of a new month is a lot like a crisp, delicious red apple just begging you to tear into its juicy flavor. And oh is it worth every bite.
When we’re given a new day, we’re awarded the gift of a fresh perspective—a new outlook on where we are currently, where we’ve been and where we want to go. The first day of a new month or season is the perfect sounding board for a gut check on this journey of becoming who God made us to be.
I’m thankful for November 1st for 3 very specific reasons:
- I can shake it off. Day 1 provides the margin for me to look backwards. I can see where I’ve been during the course of the last 30 days, what my wins were, what I learned from, and the tough stuff in-between. Day 1 reminds me to shake it off, to celebrate where I’ve been but to not live there. I don’t want to be defined by my past victories or losses. I want to keep my eyes focused on where I’m going and who I’m becoming.
- It’s a new day. No matter what happened yesterday or the previous 29 days before it, today is a brand new, fresh, sparkling day. And it’s all mine. I can wallow in the lessons of yesterday drowning in guilt, shame and regret, or I can learn from my past and step into endless possibilities of growth and change, of becoming me. And that’s something worth dancing around your apartment to T. Swift’s new album about!
- The future is bright. Stepping into a new season, I’m invigorated, encouraged and inspired to set goals and re-establish the ones I haven’t met yet. Day 1 is a fresh start. How we choose to proceed from here is entirely up to us.
Isaiah 43:19 says, “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.” I like to think that the start of a new month is God’s way of helping us push the refresh button on life, helping us gain perspective and determination to keep moving forward on this journey of becoming who He made us to be.
What are you celebrating on this beautiful November 1st? What do you need to shake off from October, celebrate that it’s a new day, and move forward with?
