I hope you’ve had a good start to 2026 and that you’re experiencing God’s goodness toward you, though I know this world isn’t easy. New Years brings reflection and evaluation, sometimes, and resolve toward better things. Yet it comes from recognizing we aren’t yet where we want to be. That’s largely the backdrop of resolve for better days. In the Old Testament of the Bible is a book known as a major prophet. Even so, Ezekiel was in captivity in Babylon where the Israelites were exiled after refusing God’s direction. The Israelites were in despair, and so possibly was Ezekiel. But he looked up. Thank you for this opportunity to join with you for today’s Weekly encouragement! I’m glad to be with you and to encourage you as I encourage myself, to look up. Failure seemingly had gotten the Israelites into captivity, but as I’m always learning with the Bible, real people lived out real lives with pain as direction for our lives, as meant to be encouragement in God’s love for us. What did Ezekiel see? There’s a lot of detail that I don’t fully grasp or understand, but Ezekiel saw an open heaven. He saw hope for the future. That’s where I want to be for a start of this New Year. We live under an open heaven if we trust in Jesus. I’m challenged by this. I see my life and my physical existence and that I’m far from on earth as it is in heaven. The pain of living with disability is difficult, referring to emotional and spiritual pain (I think I say this correctly?). I know those who live with physical pain, too. Perhaps God didn’t remove Ezekiel and the Israelites out of Babylon immediately, but He gave them hope for the future. Even if I don’t experience life free from pain, I want to hold on to the reality of the open heaven. That God can be poured into my life. As we see ourselves more clearly with each new year, may we see the open heaven and His calling us to Himself and to greater righteousness and peace and love in the Holy Spirit. Please remember I’m praying for you in this Nee Year because I love you.