SOMETHING NEW

O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1

Did you know that if you try something new each day, your brain will make new pathways? It’s easy to get stuck in a rut doing the same things the same way. But we can create new paths that help us to grow and be healthy. Throughout scripture God encourages people to do new things, try new ways, meet new people, see things in new ways, and go to new places while promising that God makes all things new!

A friend and I have been trying to do something new each day for two weeks now, and it’s fun! I’ve tried brushing my teeth with my non-dominant hand, driving home a new route, grocery shopping the aisles in reverse of my usual route, learning Spanish on an app, and meditating outdoors just to name a few. But the most fun new thing I’ve tried is making spooky, Halloween deviled eggs! Do you see the purple spider webs and the neon green egg yolk filling? They were fun to make in a new technique while they delighted my family and tasted delicious!

We did something new at church this weekend with an anniversary celebration on our Tempe campus and a “Stories, Scripture, and Songs” worship service that evening followed by tabletop smores. I played yard Yahtzee for the first time and had a good time talking to new people and connecting in different ways. It was so very exciting to have so many different people gathered in one place! We worshiped with people from the Gilbert campus, Tempe campus, current and former members and friends of Desert Cross, family members, friends, neighbors, and more. It was so fun to do something new together!

God calls us to do new things even in the church. Sometimes that is scary but it pays off in a big way when we trust God and each other to make new pathways to share God’s peace and love. And the good news is that God is leading and guiding us every step of the way.

What can you try that’s new? I invite you to try something new each day for a while and see what happens! It is a fun, intentional way to grow and be healthy in body, mind, and spirit.

Sing a new song, Pastor Andrea