The Lord says, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

– Isaiah 43:19 (NRSV)

So, I have started my “new thing.”  The schedule I have lived for the last 12 years has just changed.  All of the roles of Regional Director that I had become accustomed to are now gone — I still find myself saying the wrong phrases from time to time, saying “Area” where now I should say “Region.”

I have spent the last two days in L.A.  In the next 6 weeks I will be in the other 6 Regions in the Division.  My prayer?  “Oh Lord . . . do your new thing . . . help us perceive all that you are trying to do.  Lord, please make your way through the wilderness . . . and make rivers in the desert.”

How does one embrace a new thing?  New calendar, new job, new schedule, new role, new people, new territory, new thing?  Here are my 5 ways to embrace a “new thing.”

1. Walk the Walls.  Seems like to do a new thing, a person has to have an overview.  So, do what Nehemiah did and walk the walls.  Survey the situation.
2. Ask Questions.  One of my good friends Angel said to me when I asked him what was the #1 thing he did when he went to a new place — “I ask a lot of questions.”
3. Take your time.  “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  What this means to me is this — don’t feel compelled to do something too fast.  I have my dad in my head right now — “measure twice, cut once.”  Take the quality time needed prior to making decisions.
4. Pray for God’s favor.  “Whatever you want to accomplish, must first be accomplished in prayer.”
5. Assemble your team.  Yesterday we talked about little kids sports teams – I didn’t put kids names on their shirts this year.  I wanted them to know they were on a TEAM and we didn’t need individual names on shirts.  The most important name was the team name on the front of the shirt!  I may have a title, but to accomplish what God wants to in the Southwestern Division is going to take a TEAM.

Thoughts for the day!

Sco