New Beginnings by Colleen van Nieuwkerk

My New Year has almost always begun with my birthday in August, instead of in January.

I love new beginnings, the fall season and fall colors. You would notice that if you ever came to my house for coffee. I also always loved school and still love to learn. One of my life values is to be a life-long learner.

New beginnings that start in the fall season are often stirred up for me when spring arrives. I will be winding down the previous year and suddenly my mind and heart will turn towards fall and what is next. I served as a Director of Children’s Ministries in our church for fourteen years and this thought process was necessary every year. It has continued into retirement.

One of the aspects of a new focus was that I would listen for one word or phrase that God would put repeatedly before me and eventually I would choose that word for my next year. This year, my one word is “Capacity”, and my personal definition of that word is, “God-given ability to live beyond my natural potential.” My current health situation seems to affect energy and output, and that can be a hindrance to sitting at my desk.

I have now been walking in life as a widow for almost six years. Life turned inside out and upside down for me when my husband died unexpectedly. We had a strong marriage for forty-six years and I have deeply missed him. However, there have been new mercies every morning, and as the grief has become softer, God has graciously begun to restore my vision and my capacity for “laughing at the future” (Proverbs 31:26). This summer as I reviewed my previous year and set my plans, God willing, for this next year, I have asked for more capacity to complete some assignments.

Last October I was blessed to be offered a book contract from hope*books. I am writing a memoir, “An Unfolding Life” and have just completed six out of nine chapters. This offer took me completely by surprise and, although there have been some hard processes of working through good memories, I have enjoyed the writing.

My ministry within our church and online is currently continuing to write a curriculum for women that began ten years ago. It has expanded year by year and right now I am writing the current module as a pilot class and will teach it to a group of ten women.

Blogging is a goal I have had for several years, but I have not made much progress towards working the writing into my everyday schedule. My goal is that it would complement this course I have written and reach more women.

I have enjoyed writing a couple of guest blog posts here recently, and I also just submitted one devotional for a Year of Hope Devotional Book to be published in December.

I never planned to be a writer. I always loved English and Literature classes and am an avid reader. Wonder often overwhelms me as I see how God has unfolded this opportunity and set it before me as his assignment for this time. Thank you for reading and for the encouragement found in all your writing. We are blessed to experience God’s new mercies every morning as we follow his leading.

Habakkuk 3:19 (AMPC), “The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk (not to stand still in terror, but to walk) and make (spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering, or responsibility)!”

Colleen van Nieuwkerk is GG to three sons plus 3; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandsons. Colleen writes curriculum for women as well as teaches and is currently writing the story in book form of how this all came about. She lives in northern Alberta and can be found online @colleenvannieuwkerk.com