Eyes to See What God Is Shaping

We have been working through cover designs for several weeks now, and I have learned something important about myself. It is hard for others to see what is in my mind when I am not completely sure how to express it. Cover art has a way of exposing that tension. You know what you want something to feel like, even when the words to describe it are still forming.

I am grateful for Lisa’s patience and creativity as we have talked and sketched and prayed our way toward an artistic vision. I am also thankful for the Kharis Publishing team and the way they have worked with us to shape something that reflects the heart of this book.

Through this process, one verse kept returning to me: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you.” (Ephesians 1:18)

Sometimes the eyes of our hearts need help seeing what God is shaping. We may struggle to name it. We may not see how the pieces fit. We may not yet have language for what God is forming in us. I found it interesting that as the cover design came into focus, it helped clarify the book’s message for me. Even after months of writing and editing, the discipline of distilling the core meaning into a single visual sharpened my own understanding of what I was trying to say.

There is an old saying about sculpture that I have always loved: “A foolproof method for sculpting an elephant is to chip away everything that does not look like an elephant.” Its origin is uncertain, but the wisdom stands. The artist simply removes what does not belong until the hidden shape begins to emerge.

In the same way, God patiently reveals His work in us. Bit by bit, light by light, He clears away what obscures our vision. What once looked like a rough block of stone slowly becomes something recognizable, something hopeful, something shaped by His hand.

God gives us His light. He opens our inner vision. He helps us see hope when all we have are sketches and rough drafts. And He patiently works with us until the picture becomes clear.

Prayer:

Father, open the eyes of my heart. Help me see the hope You are shaping in me, even when I do not yet know how to put it into words. Guide my steps today with clarity and peace. Amen.

One question:

What is God clarifying in your life right now?

Update:

I received word this week from Kharis that the design team has officially approved the cover and is completing the final development. I will share the finished design very soon. Thank you for walking with me on this journey.