When God Asks You to Start Over | Begin Again

Trusting God when a fresh start wasn’t your idea by Em Tyler.

At the very beginning of the Bible, we meet someone who had to begin again.

“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’”
Genesis 12:1 (NIV)

God’s invitation to Abraham was both simple and staggering. He asked him to leave everything that was familiar, release all that was secure, and step into an unknown future, trusting that God would not only go before him, but would lead him every step of the way.

And yet there was no detailed map, no five-year plan.

Just a promise: God would show him.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we are always beginning again.

New jobs.
New relationships.
New seasons.
New rhythms.
And, of course, new years.

Beginning again can feel hopeful—but it can also feel costly.

Disorientating. Overwhelming. Lonely. Even frightening.

And yet, as I spend some time at the beginning of the Bible, reading of Abraham’s new beginning, I’m reminded that we never begin again alone.

God doesn’t simply send us forward—He goes ahead of us. A verse that keeps popping up for me at the moment is Deuteronomy 31:8: (you can see it in the “Finish Free” download for ending 2025 well):

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (NIV)

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged. Easy to hear, less easy to live out. But just like Abraham, we don’t go alone. God promises to go ahead of us and lead us into the fullness of all He’s calling us to.

Full provision, full intimacy with Him, full purpose, and full blessing.

But the promise given to Abraham was never about his comfort or self-promotion. God said that He would bless Abraham so that others would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:2-3). Our beginnings and our blessings are for God’s glory and renown so others might in turn receive the blessing of what it is to walk with God.

The blessing was always meant to overflow.

This past year, God invited me to begin again.

After moving our family from New Zealand to a random unknown town in the UK, everything familiar was stripped back. I found myself learning—slowly, humbly—how to begin again with friendships, church community, work, daily rhythms, and even with my own expectations of God.

Beginning again exposed my limits.
It revealed my longing for control.
And through it, I was reminded (again) that God is faithful even when everything else feels shaky and unfamiliar.

Beginning again is rarely neat.

It can feel confusing.
It can feel lonely.
It can stretch us in ways we didn’t anticipate.

But it doesn’t have to be done in isolation.

God has always designed His people to walk together.

Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.
Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)

And so that's why this January, Christy and I are creating space—together—to consider what it really means to begin again.

We both recognise the need to begin again in our own lives and know that it’s always so much better to lean in and listen to the Lord when we do it in community.

Perhaps you’re longing to begin again in your relationship with God.

You keep meaning to open the Bible, but life always seems to interrupt.
Perhaps you want to begin again in how you think, how you pray, how you respond to stress, fear, or disappointment.

Perhaps you’re weary of false starts and want something deeper, steadier, and more Spirit-led.

For 31 days, we’ll walk through Scripture together—slowly and intentionally.

Each day includes the opportunity to:

• Grow: feast on Scripture and encounter God’s Word in a way that speaks directly to your life.

• Glorify: notice God’s character, His faithfulness, and what He is revealing to you.

• Grapple: journal honestly about your thoughts, struggles, and discoveries.

• Gather: reflect in prayer, collating your thoughts to connect with God in conversation and surrender.

• Go: take one intentional step toward living out what God is teaching you, whether in attitude, action, or relationship.

Each week, we’ll gather on a live Zoom call for encouragement, insights, and shared reflection. And if you can’t join live, the recordings will be available so you can engage in your own time.

AND, if part of your longing to begin again relates to your relationship with alcohol—if it has quietly limited your freedom or shaped your days—there is a place for you too.

You’re invited to join 31 Days of Beginning Again January Book Club within the safety of the Love Life Sober community, where you’ll also receive free coaching through the 40-day Love Life Sober Fast, led by Christy Osborne and a team of experienced coaches. Thousands of women have found new freedom, clarity, and Christ-centred hope through this journey.

So perhaps this is your sign.

Beginning again in 2026 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Even if you can’t see the full path ahead of you.
It doesn’t have to be rushed. You can take it one step at a time.
And it doesn’t have to be done alone.

Let’s make space together—for God’s Word to be loud, for the Spirit to lead, and for obedience to feel less like striving and more like trust.

Grab your copy of the 31 Days of Beginning Again reading plan and journal on Amazon here or (Digital, only £5)

Then let us know you’re joining us so you can access the Zoom calls and Love Life Sober community here:

After you pop your email in the form below, you will be on the list to get your invitation to the private community on January 1st. The community membership, the Begin Again Book Club, and the 40-Day fast are all completely free.

The Begin Again Book Club calls start January 5th.

The 40-Day Alcohol Fast (also inside the LLS Community) starts January 19th.

The God who called Abraham forward is still calling today.

And He is faithful to meet us—right at the beginning.

Prayer:

Faithful God, some beginnings feel hopeful. Others feel heavy. Meet us where we are — not where we think we should be. When we don’t understand the road ahead, help us trust that You walk it with us. Give us courage for today, and grace for what we’re not ready to face yet. In Jesus’ name, amen.