Since this is a new site and this is my first post, I think it is reasonable to ask, where did the inspiration for the site’s name come from? It began with a song I wrote called “It’s A New Day” which is on my CD “The Music in Me” (shameless plug). The song is autobiographical in that it speaks of the change in my own life because of my encounter with the Lord Jesus and all things becoming new. The words to the bridge of the song are “It’s clear, clear, there is more to being here…and I’m happy to say, it’s a new day.” The New Day brings among other things; new life, new purpose, new vision and it’s not meant to be static. It’s meant to grow, bring change and provide an ongoing quality to one’s life!
Some time later while listening to a podcast I heard this quote from William Barclay. “There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.” I listened to it again and again and then I wrote it down. Here was a life changing truth put so simply, a truth in my humble opinion that should be heard by everyone. Barclay points all of us to the need for our own New Day.
As my journey continued, I kept hearing about a book that everyone told me was a classic, “What Color Is Your Parachute” by Richard N. Bolles. I ordered a used copy online, it was the 2005 edition. The front cover said “The best-selling job hunting book in the world.” OK, that’s impressive. The epilogue of the book is titled “How to Find Your Mission in Life” subtitled, “God and One’s Vocation”, I chuckled and thought Mr. Bolles knows something about a New Day, so I continued reading, “We want to do more than plod through life, going to work, coming home from work. We want to find that special joy, ‘that no one can take from us,’ which comes from having a Mission in life. We want to feel we’re put here on Earth for some special purpose, to do unique work that only we can accomplish.” (p291)
In the very last sentence in the above quote, the author exposes a trap that many fall into, the comparison trap. We compare ourselves to others with totally different strengths, gifts, temperaments, passions and mission. Sadly, we do so at the expense of discovering our own unique purpose, our own unique God given design that enables us “to do unique work that only we can accomplish.” This trap robs us of the great things we were designed to achieve and often leaves us unfulfilled plodding through life.
I’ll leave you with some thoughts. Do you know why you are here and what makes you unique? Are you ready to take a risk? If so, excellent! Be encouraged, stay focused, grow, but don’t ignore the journey, embrace it. If you’re just going through the motions, perhaps you are comparing yourself to others…there is more. There is a New Day with a new story to be written and it’s your story…discover it!
Now you know the inspiration for the site, its name and its author.
It’s a New Day, Let’s Live It!
