At the beginning of the year, I wrote about Looking for the New Things. Isaiah 43:18-19 seemed to be everywhere I looked, which wasn’t too surprising, as it’s often a favorite at the dawn of a new year. It stuck around for a couple of months, and then I stopped noticing it, but didn’t forget about it. When life went awry, which it has, is, and will continue to at various points, I went back there. I asked a talented friend to make me a nicer piece of wall art to hang in my room, and even bought a frame to make it look official.
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
I clung to that verse like it was a life raft. In ways, I suppose it was. Is.
And I waited, and prayed, and waited. And more of the same, likely with some impatient feet-stomping to show God I meant business this time.
So much waiting. Many stories of faith could be summarized with that one word.
Waiting.
In the past month or so, Isaiah 43:18-19 again seems to be everywhere I look–so much so that when I read a book or blog and the writer said, “There’s a verse that means so much to me…” I’ve started expecting it to be Isaiah 43:18-19. And lately, it usually has been.
It’s made me roll my eyes and mutter under my breath “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
But it’s also forced me to notice it.
For all the waiting I have done and am doing, I don’t feel like I’ve noticed any “new things” in the way I thought I would. There’s been nothing big enough that demands me to see it and exclaim, “Yes! That’s it! The new way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert!”
A way (or a path, I imagine) or a river seems like it should be pretty noticeable. But I haven’t gotten those.
Maybe, though, the reappearance of this is A thing. Not the thing, or a major thing, but A thing.
Over and over, being I’m reminded to have hope, and to see.
As I wrote earlier this year:
I love the boldness of Behold. It is booming, rich, inviting–see here, look, pay attention. You don’t want to miss this.
I don’t know what that “new thing” might look like, though I certainly have my list of suggestions for God–but my biggest hope is that I have the eyes to recognize the newness even if it doesn’t look like I thought it would.
This particular year is much closer to its end than its start, but this promise, this hope of new things doesn’t end simply because the year does. Sometimes the waiting time is much longer than we’d like to be, but we still have reason to hope.
Til next time…
~Brianna!~
p.s. Have you seen God doing new things? Or are you still waiting?
The Art of Becoming 
Im glad you reminded us of this word as I received it several times early this yr as well but forgot! For a long time I did not see any new thing and then I saw new things but not THE new thing, you know? But then out of nowhere one of THE new things happened. And even though there is still walking by faith depending on God and being uncomfortable I finally realize it will always be that way. But still it is encouraging when the season changes. He does not forget us. But as you said sometimes the new thing just takes TIME.
I have been in the waiting room many times. Do not lose heart Brianna. God is in the wait too. I love the Psalms that talk about waiting on the Lord – and the passage in Lamentations 3 as well I so appreciate your honesty and openness.Keep the dialogue going. You are speaking for many in your writing.