In the middle of my 6^th grade year, my family moved from Georgia, where I had grown up, to Delaware. Practically overnight, I exchanged a school filled with beloved friends and childhood memories for a maze of foreign hallways, filled with strange faces (and accents). To my 12-year-old self, it felt as though childhood—with its warm, fuzzy familiarity—had been left in the dust.

At the same time, I recall an almost magical feeling surrounding that new beginning. A clean slate enticed me. I had new friends, a new school, a new church, and new athletic teams. Nobody knew me, but that was a good thing! I could suddenly make countless first impressions, forging a new identity in a new home. A thrilling adventure was upon me.

Feelings like these are not uncommon in the midst of a major life change. Perhaps you’ve tasted these same feelings during a transition in your own life. Personally, I taste this swirl of fear and excitement at the start of every New Year.I dream about the possibilities of a fresh start (“How can I deliberately change for the better this year?”), even as I twinge with fear in the face of a mysterious unknown (“What if things go terribly wrong?”).

That’s why I’m thankful for the solid footing offered to me in God’s Word. Some of my favorite verses remind me that God is both the author of exciting new beginnings and the rock-steady Father who never changes.

As you begin this New Year, here are the some of the Scripture verses that remind me of God’s love and faithfulness, even when major life changes—good and bad—turn my world upside down:

Joshua 1:9 (GNTD)

“Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 40:8 (GNTD)

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 (GNTD)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Isaiah 40:31 (GNTD)

“But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.”

Isaiah 43:19 (GNTD)

“Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already—you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.”

Jeremiah 29:11 (GNTD)

“I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”