The First Day Back. Joshua 1:9

Eli stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror, hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary. The clock on the dashboard glowed 7:28 AM—two minutes before he was supposed to walk into his new job. But it wasn’t just any job. It was his first day back to work after six months in rehab. The thought of facing people, explaining the gap, starting over—it nearly paralyzed him.

He took a breath and reached into the glove box, pulling out a small notecard. Written in his wife’s handwriting were the words of Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…” She had tucked it into his Bible the night before, knowing this moment would come. Eli read it aloud, slowly, fighting back the lump in his throat. “...for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

It wasn’t just the fear of failure. It was shame. Regret. The weight of how far he’d fallen. He used to be respected—someone others looked up to. Now, he felt like a man held together with duct tape and second chances. But somehow, those ancient words gave him the courage to open the truck door and step into the building.

The day didn’t go perfectly. He stumbled on his intro. He fumbled with the time clock. But one coworker smiled and said, “First day?” Eli nodded. “We’ve all been there, man. You’ll be fine.” Something in those words loosened the grip of fear. No one asked about his past. They only saw the man standing in front of them, trying again.

During lunch, Eli sat alone at first. Then another guy joined him—Jason, a quiet type. After a few minutes of small talk, Jason leaned in and said, “I was in recovery too. Three years clean this October.” Eli’s eyes widened. He didn’t expect to find someone who understood. Jason smiled and said, “You’re not alone, man. And you’re not the only one who had to start over.”

That night, Eli told his wife everything—how he almost didn’t walk in, how God met him in the truck, how a verse written thousands of years ago gave him the strength to face a new beginning. He didn’t feel like a warrior yet, but he knew now what courage really looked like—taking one shaky step forward when everything inside tells you to run.

He keeps that notecard tucked in his wallet. Sometimes he reads it before meetings, sometimes just in traffic. Joshua 1:9 became more than a verse—it became his anthem. Because every time fear whispers, “You can’t,” God reminds him, “I’m with you. Wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV):

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."