A Prayer for Starting Over

Some of us carry beginnings around with dread.

It will be an adventure! they shout from the sidelines. Don’t they remember how hard this is?

Being new, being alone, learning all over again?

The prelude to starting over is often one long measure of goodbyes.

We’re supposed to be looking to the future with bright eyes and hopeful vision, but instead we’re lingering in the past, gathering up the moments we’ve just left behind.

Comfort us in our grief.

Sustain us for this new journey.

Energize us to lift our heads and take one step forward into today.

But that isn’t all.

Others of us never thought this opportunity would come.

Starting over is a luxury we never thought we could afford. But then, a gift, a surprise, a miracle.

And here we are, rich with opportunity, staring down a clean slate, holding on to forgiveness, standing on the edge of the brightest horizon.

For this, we thank You.

For this, we stand in awe.

For this, we pray for the courage to believe it’s true and the wisdom to not make the same mistakes this time.

Starting over is joy and trepidation, dread and celebration.

Sometimes starting over is the opportunity we never wanted and other times it’s the second chance we never dreamed we’d get.

As we stand at new beginnings and grieve those long goodbyes, teach us what it means to hold onto what we need for the journey and gently let the rest go.

You bring new mercies every morning and give us the grace to start over as many times as we might need.

Keep pace with us as we learn to keep pace with You.

Thank You for not rolling Your eyes when we find ourselves here again.

Thank You for never leaving us alone.

Maybe you had a dream you let die a long time ago. Is it time to start over? If you have an art alive within you that you would like help working out, check out Create + Complete: my online course to help you finally finish projects that matter. Would love to have you join us.