This message meets us in that peculiar space between Christmas and New Year's, where we find ourselves carrying mixed emotions—relief, exhaustion, hope, and sometimes dread about what's to come. Through the lens of Deuteronomy 31:1-8 and Matthew 28:19-20, we discover that God's greatest promise isn't a detailed roadmap for the year ahead, but something far more powerful: His abiding presence. As we step into a new year, we're invited to shift our perspective from measuring God's faithfulness by how smooth our road is to recognizing His blessing in His constant companionship through every valley and mountain. The courage we need isn't optimism or self-confidence; it's the courage to take the next faithful step with Jesus, trusting that the future may be unknown, but it is never unoccupied by God.