Welcome to the Excel Stillmore podcast. I am your host, Chris Emerson. I'm here to encourage you in your walk with God. Thank you for joining in.

Today's podcast is sponsored by a wonderful company, Creation to Revelation. This group of Christians believe it is extremely important that we teach the Word of God to our kids.

They have original graphic illustrations from the beginning of the Bible to the end,

featuring the beautiful and consistent presence of Jesus throughout.

You can explore all of that at creation to revelation.com.

I'm so thankful you're here, so let's get started.

Hey, welcome back. I'm thankful that you're listening today. I pray God's blessing in your life wherever you are,

and that you can live out this entire week

with the beginner's gift. We're certainly going to dig in on what that is today, but it might be

worth saying at the beginning that it is impossible for me to know the life situation of every

listener wherever they may be, But it is probable that there are

beginners listening in today. I don't mean this is your first time to listen to ESM. I mean you are

at a stage in your life where you are beginning something new. Maybe someone is listening who is a

newlywed, or maybe you've just had your very first child.

Maybe you've moved to a new city or state or started a brand new occupation, or maybe you've just now

become a Christian. I don't mind telling you at the outset that I am envious of some of what you possess,

and as we go about exploring that today, for the rest of our benefit, I hope you are enjoying the

beginner's gift to the fullest. When we start brand new things, there is this sense of excitement.

There may be some nerves and some fear, but a great sense of anticipation. It feels

amazing to start something new that you're excited about, where it has tremendous potential to

change your life and give it a whole new meaning. And while I know there are some who are in that

state of freshness that we'll talk about today,

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