"What do you see?"
For I know the plans I have for you, plans to do you good, give you a hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

In 1980, I picked up a Bible for the very first time and in those early days read words that have stuck with me since. Here they are; ‘Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?”’
I have been trying to ‘see’ ever since!
Recently I asked a small group of people what their dreams were, what did they imagine that God might want them to do, silence was the main response as was loss of eye contact and finally, uncertainty. Often we find it difficult to dream.
Pioneering is a challenging occupation, being a pioneer brings with it the accusations of being a maverick or more simply, awkward or even rebellious. Pioneers ask questions!
When I read those words, ‘What Do You See?’, they excited me, they caused me to want to dream and imagine.
Now, forty two years later, those words have come back to haunt me and I have found myself thinking twice before replying because I have quietly, sometimes not so quietly wondered if I really want to see because I know what happens when I do ‘see’!
Pioneering a youth group and a city wide schools ministry in my twenties was exciting, pioneering a national schools ministry in my thirties was a thrill minute, pioneering a local church in my forties was challenging but rewarding, helping two existing churches in my fifties was awesome when I was pioneering some new area of ministry. Now, in my sixties pioneering new ways of church is easily the most exciting and challenging time of my life so far.
“What do you see”- is tormenting the life out of me! “What do you see” comes with so much promise! “What do you see” comes with so many questions!
Recently, I had this overwhelming sense that it was time to “Paint on a larger canvas” and for those of you who know, when words like these come it is time to take some steps of faith.

Along with our friends here in St Louis we launched the Canvas Network, well we launched a website and were swamped by a wave of interest. It seems that people, not just leaders, but regular people are being asked, in essence, the same question that God has been asking me repeatedly for more than forty years; “What do you see?”
Words that burn in my heart right now that I think speak to at least our future are; Jesus, listening prayer, Kingdom of God, humility, innovation, serve, generosity, hope, pivot, mission, community; Jesus!
We want to encourage you to allow God to ask you, “What do you see?”
Permit yourself the time to “renew your strength, to mount up with wings...” and to dream and hope again.
Pioneers ask questions, walk with a compass rather than a map, struggle with the obvious, make mistakes, take wrong turns, give up at least once per week. Pioneers, dream, imagine and believe on good days and simply camp in the rain on the side of a mountain waiting for the sun to shine again on not so good days.
Guys, the sun will shine again, God will speak a word, fresh energy will come, fresh paths of innovation will appear as if by magic!
I know what minds greater than mine say about the verse in the box above but it can still be a promise from God to you;
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