Back To The Future

In the 1985 classic Back to the Future, teenager Marty McFly is flung 30 years into the past thanks to his eccentric scientist friend, Doc Brown, and his time-traveling vehicle. What starts as an accidental journey turns into a desperate mission in which Marty must ensure his teenage parents fall in love, or else he risks erasing his own existence. Meanwhile, Doc Brown scrambles to figure out how to send Marty back to his rightful timeline. As Marty navigates a world where he doesn’t quite belong, he learns a powerful lesson: Even the smallest decisions can dramatically alter the future. One moment, one choice, can change everything.

I’ve been thinking a lot about time, not just in a nostalgic, it-would-be-cool-to-time-travel kind of way, but in a deeper, more personal sense. As I do, one thing rings true: God isn’t just watching time unfold; He holds time in His hands. Unlike Doc Brown, who, in the movie, had to scramble to harness the power of a lightning strike just to send Marty home, God is never scrambling. He is the Author of time itself. He sees the past, the present, and the future in one complete picture, working everything together for our good. Sometimes, in His kindness, He gives us glimpses of what’s ahead, tiny previews of His plans, much like a movie trailer that hints at the story to come.

I’m not sure why, but He does this quite often with Chiara, giving me these random hints of what He has in store for her future. If Marty McFly was shocked by what he saw in his parents’ past, I feel a similar nervous energy every time I see glimpses of the person my daughter is becoming. Chiara is a force in more ways than one. She is dramatic in both speech and action, as if life itself is a grand performance and she’s the leading lady. She can go from an impassioned speech about the importance of friendship to an Oscar-worthy reaction over the smell of lemons in seconds. Her love for music is a big part of who she is; she sings, dances, and makes songs up on the fly. Chiara fully believes she can do and be anything. And honestly? I don’t doubt it. She has this fierce belief in herself, but even more beautifully, she has a deep love for God, even at her tender age. Her compassion is bigger than her six-year-old frame, and her heart is always open to others. She has very low inhibitions and doesn’t take herself too seriously unless her hurt feelings are involved. Lord knows she feels everything to the utmost! She’s a bright contradiction of deep wisdom and pure childlike joy, wrapped up in a whirlwind of energy and curiosity.

As a mother, it’s humbling to realise that God already knows who she’s becoming. In the same way that Marty’s actions in 1955 affected his entire future, the things I do and say today shape who Chiara will be tomorrow. You’d think this would be too heavy a weight to carry, and yet, I’m comforted by the fact that God isn’t relying on my perfect parenting (because, let’s be real, that doesn’t exist). He’s been working in her life before I even knew her name. He’s been shaping her personality, her passions, and her purpose from the very beginning. Not just the big, defining moments but the small, everyday ones too, the conversations over homework or dinner, the prayers before bed, the laughter over silly things, God is using it all. So, while I don’t have a time machine to visit the future and see exactly how Chiara’s story unfolds, I don’t need one. God has already seen it, and He is guiding her every step of the way. And that’s far better than any time-traveling machine could ever take us.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The thoughts and plans of His heart through all generations. ~ Psalm 33:11 (AMP)

For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. ~ Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

If our future is already predetermined, what’s the point? Shouldn’t we just sit passively and wait for it to happen to us? That’s the line of thinking the enemy loves to whisper into our hearts to get us to disengage and to live lives of quiet detachment instead of active purpose. Yes, God is sovereign. Yes, He sees the end from the beginning. But He isn’t a distant puppet master pulling strings. He is a present, loving Father who longs to walk with us, not just toward a destination but through a relationship.

The weight of purpose used to intimidate me, not because I thought it didn’t matter but because I thought one wrong move would ruin everything. I was terrified of failing God’s plan for my life. Believing that lie led to an exhausting cycle of striving, constantly chasing the illusion of perfection, living fearfully and developing a sense of resentment towards myself. But then He reminded me of a truth that had been there all along:

“Your future is far too big to fit in your hands. It sits in Mine.”

That truth didn’t release me from responsibility, it released me from fear. It reminded me that I’m not walking this road alone. God, the Creator of the universe, isn’t standing at the finish line, tapping His foot, waiting for me to get it right. He’s walking with me, step by step, through every chapter of my life. God invites us to co-labour with Him, not out of pressure but out of love. He knows our highs, our lows, our detours and delays, and still, He calls us forward with grace. If we stay submitted to Him, there is no mistake too great, no misstep too final.

So how do we remain engaged, hopeful, and obedient in a world full of distractions and detours? How do we stay the course when purpose feels heavy or unclear? Here are four ways I’ve learned to walk with God through the timeline of my life.

Depend on God for direction.

We weren’t designed to figure everything out on our own. And thank God for that. Depending on Him is not weakness, it’s wisdom. When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He promises to direct our paths and to keep our feet from dashing against a stone. Whether you’re facing a life-changing decision or the everyday chaos of parenting, running a business, or just staying afloat, He has a plan. When I lean into God’s voice, I notice I stop striving and start abiding. His direction doesn’t come like a booming voice from the clouds; it’s a whisper, a nudge, a moment of clarity in the middle of your mess. But it’s always trustworthy.

Grow in integrity and character.

Purpose isn’t just about platform, it’s about who you’re becoming when no one’s watching. God is deeply invested in our internal growth, not just our external impact. Character is the soil in which purpose grows. Integrity is what keeps us grounded when opportunities come knocking. When God looks at our future, He isn’t just measuring what we’ll do; He’s measuring who we’ll be while doing it. So, when He puts us in seasons of waiting or stretching, it’s not punishment but preparation. I’m learning to lean into these seasons more willingly and to understand that what matters most, and what will count even at the end of my life, is who I was behind closed doors and whether or not I honoured His name even then.

Follow through

Sometimes, obedience feels like it’s too small to matter. That tiny yes, that uncomfortable conversation, that step back when you want to charge ahead… it all counts. Each act of obedience is a block, and those blocks are what build the future God has in mind for us. Think of Noah, building an ark when there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Or Mary, saying “yes” to an angel with no idea what the road ahead would require. Every act of faith adds up. Don’t underestimate what God can do with your follow-through.

Make up your mind.

At some point, we have to settle it in our hearts: God’s way is the only way. Not the most convenient, not the most popular, but the only one that leads to life. Obedience isn’t a one-time event; it’s a lifestyle. When we decide there’s no Plan B, we start walking with a different kind of confidence, not in ourselves, but in the One who called us. If He started it, He will finish it, but only if we keep showing up and keep saying yes.

God doesn’t expect perfection from us; He asks for participation. He’s not waiting for us to figure everything out; He’s inviting us to trust Him more deeply with every step. Our futures don’t rest on our performance but on His promises. So today, let’s release the pressure, lean into His direction, grow in character, follow through in obedience, and settle once and for all that His way is the only way. After all, if our future is already in His hands, what better place could it be?

Please, don’t let your past mistakes keep you from pushing forward. Don’t let your current circumstances cause you to doubt the promise. When God created you, He did it in the secret place, outside of time. In that sacred space, He wove into you landmark identifiers: spiritual signposts, giftings, desires, and instincts that would help guide you, even when life gets confusing or hard. You were designed to recognise your future, even before you fully arrive in it. So, when you’re tempted to doubt your direction or question who you’re becoming, take a deep breath and remind yourself: You’re simply going back to the future, to a plan your spirit and the Spirit of God know very well. Keep walking. Keep trusting. The One who holds your future has, and will, never let go of you.