January often invites us to think about new beginnings. The calendar turns, resolutions are made, and phrases like “new year, new me” fill our conversations. But this month, we've been reflecting on fresh starts.

Scripture reminds us that God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). That means fresh starts are not confined to January optimism or perfect conditions. They can happen at any moment of any day. They can be quiet or life-altering, barely visible or undeniably monumental. And most importantly, they are rooted not in our effort to reinvent ourselves, but in God’s faithfulness to renew us.

And when weariness creeps in, as it often does, we’re reminded that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). Renewal lifts our eyes, restores our pace, and helps us to keep walking even when the journey feels long.

Resurrection

As we move from the depths of winter toward spring and Easter, we’re reminded that the heart of our faith is resurrection - the ultimate fresh start. New life breaking through, hope rising where it once seemed impossible.

Whatever this season holds for you, God’s mercies are still new. His faithfulness has not run out, and the invitation to begin again is always open.

So whether your fresh start today feels small or significant, know that God is at work and is already doing a new thing.

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‍Fresh starts at Lifewords

One fresh start we’ve made at Lifewords this January is reimagining how we partner with you in prayer.

Prayer has always been central to our work, but we want to create new ways to share what God is doing and invite you more deeply into it. Each month, our newsletter will now highlight one focused way you can pray with us, alongside access to our new online prayer space. It’s a place to discover current requests, and to share how we can be praying for you too. This month, we’ve been praying especially for:

• The Wonder of Wellbeing Gower, a creative faith initiative in Wales
• Our Global Bible Resources team in Poland
• Melissa, a mental health chaplain using Lifewords resources in her work

Each context is different, but in each place God is at work, bringing renewal in unique and meaningful ways.

We've also reworked our email communications, combining everything into a monthly, accesible update, ensuring that we're not crowding your inbox and giving you more content than you'll ever have time to read.

A few 'fresh' ideas

• Looking to make a fresh start this year by finding creative and innovative ways to share your faith? The team at The Wonder of Wellbeing Gower are doing just that. Through art exhibitions, creative spaces, and outdoor experiences, they are offering gentle, accessible ways for people to encounter faith. It’s a reminder that fresh starts don’t always look loud or dramatic — sometimes they begin with curiosity, beauty, and space to breathe.
• Perhaps you could dwell on Bible verses or worship songs that celebrate fresh starts and new beginning - “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” (Psalm 40:3a)
• Explore our new online prayer space and partner with us in prayer - each month we'll share what you can be praying for - and we'll be sharing more timely prayer requests both in this space and on our social channels throughout each month too.
• Share your fresh start on social media with the hashtag #freshstarts.

As for all things fresh, keep your eye out for a brand new resource that we're excited to be launching in early February!