You’re Not Starting Over — You’re Stepping Forward - Encouragement for Today - October 1, 2025

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Tracie MilesOctober 1, 2025

You’re Not Starting Over — You’re Stepping Forward
TRACIE MILES

Lee en español

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 (ESV)

Years ago, I sat back and looked at my life, and it was … different. New. Unfamiliar. Even my next steps, not to speak of the distant future, felt unknown.

When life takes a turn, there are moments when the future feels like a blank canvas — but not the exciting kind. Instead, it looks more like an intimidating void. Maybe you’ve found yourself in one of those seasons, facing an empty nest, a painful divorce, a sudden loss, a career change, or simply the quiet ache of midlife.

Maybe your life took an unexpected turn years ago, and you never quite found your footing again. You've longed to move forward, to do something new, to embrace a dream God has placed in your heart — but fear whispers louder than faith.

Is it too late? Do I still have what it takes? What if I try and fail?

Friend, you’re not alone. But here’s what I have found to be true: You are not starting over. You are stepping forward into a new chapter, and God is already there, ready to meet you with grace, strength, and purpose.

Psalm 138:8 offers this powerful reminder: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

God’s purpose for our lives isn’t something we can miss, lose, or age out of. His purpose will be fulfilled because it’s not dependent on our flawless track record or perfect circumstances — it’s grounded in His steadfast love, which never changes. The love that carried you through past seasons will carry you into the next.

After all, you’ve been gathering wisdom, experiences, resilience, and faith all along. What you’ve been through has shaped you, and it is usable by God.

You’re not discarding your past. You’re bringing everything God has taught you. You’re moving forward with history, with growth, and most importantly with Him.

You are “the work of [God’s] hands” (Psalm 138:8), not forgotten or overlooked. You’re deeply loved and intentionally crafted. If God has placed a longing in your heart — to write, to create, to lead, to serve, to heal, to learn, to go — then that dream is part of His workmanship in you. And He will not forsake it.

So take the next brave step. Not because you have it all figured out but because the God who formed you and holds your future will fulfill His purpose for your life.

You’re not starting over. You’re stepping forward — with Him.

Father, thank You for never giving up on me. Help me take the next step in faith, trusting You to fulfill every purpose You’ve placed in my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Even a sliver of God’s light is enough to illuminate the dark path in front of you. That’s the heartbeat behind our newest devotional, Let In the Light: 50 Devotions to Confidently Know God Is Good and Guiding Your Steps. Each day will help you find truth for the moments when your thoughts spiral, your season feels unsure, or you just need to be reminded that the Lord’s light is still surrounding you. The Encouragement for Today devotion you read today is only a taste of how special this book is, so preorder your copy now!

width

ENGAGE

For more encouragement, check out Tracie’s book God’s Got You: Embracing New Beginnings with Courage and Confidence on her website. You can also connect with her on Instagram for ongoing encouragement.

If you feel God has been calling you to write a book, consider joining Tracie at AuthorRise, a group coaching experience beginning October 27, 2025, designed to equip aspiring Christian writers with the training, tools, and confidence they need to write well, publish wisely, and also monetize their message in a way that honors their calling. Click here  for more info!

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (NLT).

Philippians 1:6, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (NLT).

What has God been nudging your heart to do lately that you’ve been pushing aside? What steps can you take today to begin trusting in God’s calling and pursue His purpose for your life with courage?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2025 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

 

Salem News Channel Today

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Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

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Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

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You’re Not Starting Over — You’re Stepping Forward - Encouragement for Today - October 1, 2025

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Tracie MilesOctober 1, 2025

You’re Not Starting Over — You’re Stepping Forward
TRACIE MILES

Lee en español

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 (ESV)

Years ago, I sat back and looked at my life, and it was … different. New. Unfamiliar. Even my next steps, not to speak of the distant future, felt unknown.

When life takes a turn, there are moments when the future feels like a blank canvas — but not the exciting kind. Instead, it looks more like an intimidating void. Maybe you’ve found yourself in one of those seasons, facing an empty nest, a painful divorce, a sudden loss, a career change, or simply the quiet ache of midlife.

Maybe your life took an unexpected turn years ago, and you never quite found your footing again. You've longed to move forward, to do something new, to embrace a dream God has placed in your heart — but fear whispers louder than faith.

Is it too late? Do I still have what it takes? What if I try and fail?

Friend, you’re not alone. But here’s what I have found to be true: You are not starting over. You are stepping forward into a new chapter, and God is already there, ready to meet you with grace, strength, and purpose.

Psalm 138:8 offers this powerful reminder: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

God’s purpose for our lives isn’t something we can miss, lose, or age out of. His purpose will be fulfilled because it’s not dependent on our flawless track record or perfect circumstances — it’s grounded in His steadfast love, which never changes. The love that carried you through past seasons will carry you into the next.

After all, you’ve been gathering wisdom, experiences, resilience, and faith all along. What you’ve been through has shaped you, and it is usable by God.

You’re not discarding your past. You’re bringing everything God has taught you. You’re moving forward with history, with growth, and most importantly with Him.

You are “the work of [God’s] hands” (Psalm 138:8), not forgotten or overlooked. You’re deeply loved and intentionally crafted. If God has placed a longing in your heart — to write, to create, to lead, to serve, to heal, to learn, to go — then that dream is part of His workmanship in you. And He will not forsake it.

So take the next brave step. Not because you have it all figured out but because the God who formed you and holds your future will fulfill His purpose for your life.

You’re not starting over. You’re stepping forward — with Him.

Father, thank You for never giving up on me. Help me take the next step in faith, trusting You to fulfill every purpose You’ve placed in my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Even a sliver of God’s light is enough to illuminate the dark path in front of you. That’s the heartbeat behind our newest devotional, Let In the Light: 50 Devotions to Confidently Know God Is Good and Guiding Your Steps. Each day will help you find truth for the moments when your thoughts spiral, your season feels unsure, or you just need to be reminded that the Lord’s light is still surrounding you. The Encouragement for Today devotion you read today is only a taste of how special this book is, so preorder your copy now!

width

ENGAGE

For more encouragement, check out Tracie’s book God’s Got You: Embracing New Beginnings with Courage and Confidence on her website. You can also connect with her on Instagram for ongoing encouragement.

If you feel God has been calling you to write a book, consider joining Tracie at AuthorRise, a group coaching experience beginning October 27, 2025, designed to equip aspiring Christian writers with the training, tools, and confidence they need to write well, publish wisely, and also monetize their message in a way that honors their calling. Click here  for more info!

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (NLT).

Philippians 1:6, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (NLT).

What has God been nudging your heart to do lately that you’ve been pushing aside? What steps can you take today to begin trusting in God’s calling and pursue His purpose for your life with courage?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2025 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

 

Salem News Channel Today

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