The Joy of New, by Nicki Copeland

Do you enjoy new things, or do you find them stressful? If you’re anything like me, it’s a bit of both. I love new clothes (when I can afford them!), and new books fill me with delight!

But when it comes to technology, I’d much rather stick with what I know. I had to replace my laptop earlier this year – cue much angst! Fortunately, I have a son who is a technological whizz, and he’s happy to bail me out when I hit the inevitable obstacles…

I was another who had the joy of attending the recent ACW Writers’ weekend in Scargill, for the first time. This was full of new experiences – travelling to a new place, meeting new people, an unknown programme of activities – and I was a little nervous. But it was a wonderful weekend, and I came away with some new friends, having deepened some existing friendships, with new inspiration for my writing, and having had a lot of fun!

But, I have to confess, there was one moment that had me wriggling uncomfortably in my seat. Something new; something unfamiliar, something way out of my comfort zone: we had to draw something!

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I certainly can’t list drawing as a skill on my CV. So I looked around for the easiest thing I could find to draw – a simple shape with lots of straight lines. And with trepidation, but determined not to be beaten, I started to sketch.

To my great surprise, this unfamiliar experience was not half as bad as I’d anticipated. And the task definitely achieved what it set out to – it made me notice what I was looking at – really see it. I paid close attention to the shape, to the proportions, to the grain of the wood. And I appreciated even more the object I had decided to draw.

New experiences often take us out of our comfort zone, don’t they? I was delighted to be invited to fill the recent vacancy here on the blog. But along with those feelings of joy and excitement at this new undertaking, I have to confess to feeling a little nervous. Will I have anything to say that will be of interest? Will I bring anything new? Will I be able to work the software?! How will it fit with my already busy schedule?

But new experiences are rich with material for our writing. New sights, sounds and smells. New observations and experiences. Even new feelings – both the positive and the more challenging. When we stop and take notice of these things, we find a depth of ideas to draw on.

So when we’re next faced with a new experience, something that takes us out of our comfort zone, let’s think about our approach. Will we resist, kicking and screaming all the way? Or will we embrace it as a challenge, even with joy and expectation, and in anticipation of the things God might want to teach us?

Nicki Copeland is a freelance writer, speaker, copy editor and proofreader - and loves anything to do with words. She is the author of Losing the Fig Leaf and Less than Ordinary? When she has the luxury of some free time, she can invariably be found with a book in one hand and some chocolate in the other.