Grains of Sand and Glorious Ends

Have you ever followed a trail you didn’t know you were on until you were halfway through it?

That’s how I feel right now. A few months ago, I started noticing small “grains of sand” — conversations that lingered longer in my heart, an unexpected opportunity, a quiet nudge I couldn’t ignore. They didn’t seem like much at the time. But in hindsight, I can see them for what they were: breadcrumbs of grace leading me forward.

Now I’m in the middle of the trail. And while part of me is excited—hopeful, even—another part of me is hesitant. Is this really going somewhere? Can the end of this path really be as good, as redemptive, as glorious as it promises to be?

I think that’s the tension many of us live in: believing in God’s promises, while walking through places that don’t look much like fulfillment. Wanting to be hopeful, while wrestling with doubt. Wanting to stay expectant, while carrying the weight of disappointment or delay.

But here’s what I’ve learned: expectation changes everything.

When I live with holy expectation, my eyes are lifted. I can see the thread God is weaving. I notice the small details, the divine “coincidences,” the open doors and the closed ones too. It’s like watching for a signal in the sky or a whisper in the wind. It tunes me into God’s activity instead of my anxiety.

But when I lose expectation, when I stop hoping, my eyes fall. I miss the signs. I forget the promises. I lose the ability to imagine a better ending because I’ve grown too used to carrying a heavy middle.

That’s why I’m choosing to live differently. Not because every day feels easy, but because God is worthy of my hope. Hebrews 10:23 reminds us:

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”

Here are 3 ways I’m staying hopeful and expectant—feel free to borrow them:

1. I Practice Daily Remembrance

Each day, I recall something God has already done for me. Whether big or small, I remind myself: He’s been faithful before. Why would He stop now? This simple act anchors me in gratitude and reminds me that I’m not walking this trail alone.

2. I Speak What I Want to Believe

Sometimes, I speak hope before I feel it. I declare truth aloud—about who God is, who I am in Him, and what He has said. My emotions may not always catch up immediately, but my spirit aligns when I choose to speak life.

3. I Keep My Eyes on the Trail, Not the Timeline

God’s timing is rarely mine. But His trail is trustworthy. I’m learning to watch for the grains of sand rather than obsess over how long it’s taking. He is leading, even when I can’t see the full picture.

So here I am—on the trail, mid-journey. I don’t have all the answers, and I definitely don’t have a map. But I do have a Guide. And I do have hope. Not just in what the end might look like—but in the One who walks with me.

Are you in a season where it’s hard to stay hopeful? Maybe you’ve lost sight of the grains of sand or forgotten what it felt like to walk with expectation. If so, take heart. God hasn’t forgotten you. The trail still leads somewhere beautiful. And He will keep His promise.

Let’s hold tightly to hope—together.

Expectantly,

M.