Sometimes, at the end of a year, it’s hard to visualize the one ahead. And sometimes, at the end of a season, it becomes complicated to imagine what’s coming next. Last night, while talking about these deep, existential things, my friend Dehily shared that in the season she’s walking through right now, it’s difficult for her to see what lies ahead. And I know she’s not alone, many of my friends are in that same place.

So today, I want to offer you a simple image: shape  your hands as if holding a small telescope.

If you could use this metaphor to hold your insights, your questions, your hopes… what hidden truths might you begin to see? 

A telescope lets you adjust the lens to bring faraway things into view: closer, clearer, sharper. Things you can not see with your natural eyes become visible when you look through an instrument designed to help you look farther.

But here’s the truth, sometimes, even a telescope isn’t enough, because there are seasons when what’s coming isn’t just far away. It’s invisible, not yet formed, not yet revealed; and in those moments, you need something more than a tool.

You need your heart added to that telescope.

Your faith.

Your willingness to close your eyes and trust.

So imagine this, with your hands lifted like a telescope, close your eyes. Let your heart become the lens. Let your spirit begin to process what you long for, what you hope God will reveal, what you’re believing for, even if you can’t picture it yet.

A telescope is an instrument to see things in the natural… but faith…faith is the conviction that what you do not see is still real. Faith says, “I don’t know how this will happen, but I know God has something prepared for me.”

So today, let’s grab our imaginary telescope.

Let’s look toward the distance.

Let’s add our faith to it.

And let’s begin to look at next year:

Day by day,

Week by week,

Month by month.

Think of the 12 months ahead as 12 prayers—12 hopes you place before God. A beautiful number. A holy rhythm.

And trust this: The same God who placed those dreams in your heart is the God who will honor those desires.

Even before you can see them.

Even before they come into focus.

Just keep holding, keep adding your faith.

Your future is already forming—keep looking!!!

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” — Hebrews 11:1