New Rivers, New Roads: The Power of Who Walks Beside You

 "But forget all that — it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."— Isaiah 43:18-20

There’s something powerful about those words: "I am doing something new. I have already begun!" But how often do we miss it? How often are we so focused on what didn’t work, who left, or the path that didn’t pan out that we don’t even see the rivers already flowing, the pathways already opening up?

I’ve come to realize that a lot of the time, it’s not just our mindset that keeps us stuck... it’s who we have around us. Studies show that 99% of your success is influenced by your reference group—the people you surround yourself with. Think about that for a moment. You could be one conversation away from seeing the new thing God is doing—or one critic away from missing it entirely.

Are the people around you raising your confidence or elevating your defenses? Are they pushing you to see the rivers in the wasteland, or are they so focused on the dry ground that you start to believe that’s all there is? Your circle is either watering your faith or draining it dry. You can’t expect to soar if your circle is always clipping your wings.

I’m learning this as I prepare to launch my book later this year. Every step of the journey, I’ve had to evaluate who’s around me. Some have been a voice of faith and possibility, pointing out the rivers I couldn’t yet see. Others? Well, they were more comfortable with the desert. And that’s fine — but I’m moving toward the water. I’m moving toward the new thing.

It’s easy to stay around people who are comfortable with the familiar. But faith? Faith steps into the unknown. Faith sees a path where there wasn’t one before. Faith believes that what’s coming is greater than what’s been. And the truth is, you can’t expect to walk into the new if you’re surrounded by people who are chained to the past.

So I ask you — who walks beside you? Do they see rivers in the wasteland, or are they still talking about the dust? Are they making you feel empowered or creating insecurities? Sometimes the path forward is less about finding new opportunities and more about finding new people.

God is doing something new — He’s already begun. But to see it, sometimes you’ve got to shift your circle. You’ve got to find people who don’t just believe in your journey but are willing to walk it with you. People who see the pathway through the wilderness before it’s even visible. People who can hear the rush of water before the river even flows.

As I walk this path toward my book launch, I’m standing on this truth. New paths. New rivers. New circles. And I’m inviting you to walk it with me.

Have you ever had to change your circle to see the new things God was doing? Share your story with me — let’s inspire each other to keep moving forward.

#PoiseUnderPressure #PreparationMeetsOpportunity #GrowthMindset #KeepPushing