Christ Is Our True New Beginning

For many students, the start of a new semester means the beginning of a new chapter – starting or returning to one’s academic career in college or leaving home for the first time. When we talk about a “new chapter,” what we are really saying is “a new beginning.” Some might say it’s a “fresh start,” or a “clean slate.” Similarly, these phrases apply to New Year’s when we set goals and make resolutions. We consider times like these “new chapters” because we are marking a significant and transformative period in our lives. It signifies leaving behind past hardships, hoping for a better future, and embracing the changes that come with it. But what happens when the new chapter doesn’t go well? What happens when you don’t meet your goals and expectations? Suddenly the fresh start of this chapter feels stained and ruined, and you wish you could start again.

I am writing this because I have experienced it. I have heard stories of people who had hoped that college would be a place of new beginnings, but then something happened — maybe it was due to their own actions, or maybe it was out of their control. For students who are feeling hopeless or let down in this new chapter, I hope to encourage you in this season.

By Joziah Castillo

Full story at The Gordon Review