Out with the old, in with the new

 

Well we have been having a bit of a clear out in the Newcombe household. It all started with the rather unwelcome discovery that there was mould behind some of our bookshelves. So the beginning of the New year has been spent battling mould and in fact battling Covid which some of us have had mildly. Any top tips for avoiding mildew do get in touch!

But actually, the clearout was rather useful. Do we really need this book? Will we ever listen to Grandad’s vinyl record collection? If we haven’t played that game in 4 years do we really need it? Why don’t we get rid of some of these DVDs?

So we’ve been having a bit of a clear out. And the start of a new year is a good time for it. Out with the old in with the new. Some to charity shops, others on our church freecycle page, and some straight in the bin.

I wonder if there’s any unwanted baggage you want to get rid of this new year. I’m not talking about bric-a-brac that you might find in a dusty cupboard in your house, or old shoes under the stairs, rather those things lurking inside all of us. In our inner person. Perhaps that temper that flares up under pressure, or that vicious tongue.

Maybe over Christmas you spotted that you all too easily think critically of others, and want to address that. Or your glass half empty personality and you’d love to be more positive.

Is there something you want to address? Something to get rid of? Out with the old, in with the new? Many will tell you that change is found in new year’s resolutions or in searching for the hero inside yourself. The self help gurus tell us to believe in ourselves.

The Bible has a different message. At church on Sunday we read this verse from 2 Corinthians 5. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”.

In a relationship with Jesus Christ we have access to God’s powerful Holy Spirit- God himself living inside each person who trusts in him. And he is committed to changing us from the inside out. Now that is real change.

So don’t look inwards, but look upwards for the help you need to change. Do get in touch if we can help or if you’d like more info about two new courses we are running from next Monday to help with our money and our faith.

Charlie Newcombe, 04/01/23