A Fresh Start

Published on May 01, 2007 by Danny Strange

The best moment of any semester is the moment that it is over. Whether it’s the ringing of a bell or the completion of a final exam, there is nothing sweeter than the event that marks the end of a school term. There is no better feeling than the emotion that comes from being freed from the yoke of tests, projects, and grades and from being given a fresh start once again.

The last moment of any semester is exhilarating because it marks the beginning of something new. Soon there will be new classes, new challenges, and a level playing field. Any mistakes you made will be erased. Your grades will be reset to 100% once again. Soon you will have new teachers, new classmates, and a new opportunity to excel. Changes are in the works.

Fresh starts have always been exciting for me because I adore change. When an opportunity for transition arises, I tend to jump on the boat more quickly than most. I think of a time a few years back when I was told I would be relocating from my 4-walled office to a new 6-foot by 6-foot cubicle. I was immediately excited about the pending change, but I was told that cubicles weren’t on site yet. I would have to wait.

But I did not wait patiently in my office for moving day. Instead I framed my new, non-existent work area on the floor with masking tape (Don’t worry, I left an empty spot for the door). I pushed my office furniture into my new workspace, and lined it all up along the tape wall. Finally, I used some wire to hang my pictures from the ceiling, suspended along the invisible barriers. My relocation to the new cubicle was complete—All I lacked were walls. I spent the next few weeks contentedly plugging away in my new “office,” working inside my invisible fishbowl. I even made people come in through the door.
Now, I realize most people don’t get as excited about transition as I do. I think of the story of the rebuilding of the temple of God in the book of Ezra, where many of the citizens of Jerusalem cried as the new house of worship was being built. You see, they remembered how great the old temple was and felt the new one just couldn’t match up. The Bible tells us these people, “wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy” (Ezra 3:12).

As you move forward into these summer months and anticipate the school year to come, let me encourage you to be a joy-shouter, not a weeper. Whether you’re moving up a grade, into a new school, or even finishing school forever, look forward to this new opportunity with excitement. No matter how great this past year was for you, be excited about what God has in store for you in the year to come.

I especially want to encourage those of you who are moving up to a new ministry this summer, whether into Junior High, High School, College, or beyond. Let this be a time of starting fresh for you. Dive into this new opportunity with both feet! Show up to our midweek programs. Sign up for summer camp. Come on our events. Get to know our counselors. Summer is a perfect time to get more involved with Youth Ministry.

As this school year comes to an exciting close, think about what God has in store for you in the year to come. Spend time in His Word, get away and pray, and talk to your friends, your family, and your Youth Pastor about how God might use you in the 2007-8 school year. Transition well—Make a fresh start today!