The turning of the seasons always stirs something in me. Maybe it’s the rhythm of cooler mornings, maybe it’s the pull of school calendars and church kick-offs, but September feels like a second January — a chance to reset, refocus, and remember what matters most.

This week, I’ve been thinking about how much our lives are shaped by starts and stops. New beginnings don’t always wait for the calendar to flip. Sometimes they arrive uninvited, wrapped in joy or in grief. A new job. A child moving to college. A diagnosis. A friendship that changes. Each one asks us: will you trust that God is already here?

The truth is, I don’t always welcome new beginnings. I like the comfort of the familiar, even if it isn’t working for me anymore. But Jesus rarely called anyone to stay where they were. His invitation was simple and risky: Come, follow me. He met people right in the middle of their ordinary lives and asked them to step into something new.

Maybe that’s the challenge — and the hope — of this season. To believe that God isn’t finished with us yet. That every “start again” moment, whether we choose it or not, can be a doorway into grace.

I’ve been learning that beginnings are less about achievement and more about posture. We don’t have to have the perfect plan, the best resources, or flawless consistency. What God seems to ask of us is willingness — the courage to open our hands and hearts to what He is already doing. That kind of beginning feels lighter, gentler, more sustainable.

So I’m holding onto this: beginnings don’t have to be perfect to be holy. Even if we stumble, even if the plan shifts, God walks with us into every new chapter.

As fall begins, I wonder what it might look like for you to start again with God. Maybe it’s as small as a prayer before school drop-off. Maybe it’s choosing rest instead of rushing. Maybe it’s reaching out to someone you’ve been meaning to call. Maybe it’s carving out ten minutes to breathe, read, or simply remember you are loved.

Whatever it is, take courage. The season is turning. God is still at work. And we get to begin again.

What new beginning are you stepping into this season? Where do you sense God asking you to trust Him in the “start again”?