Hope...the confident expectation in the unseen future or the happy expectation of good.
Do I have hope? Do you? Be honest...I will.
What do I hope for?
Hope for a better day...
Hope for a better job...
Hope for a Godly relationship...
Hope for financial freedom...
Hope for a healthier, fitter body...
Hope for restored relationships with loved ones...
Hope that my family will all come to know Jesus...
What do you hope for? Do you think you can obtain all of those things on your own or do you trust in the one who can provide all your needs?
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
God already knows what the outcome will be for all the things you HOPE for. He can see the WHOLE picture...but he only gives us just enough to light our next step. Why? Because if we saw it all, the good and the bad, it would cripple us!! Many of us don't know what is coming, but we know what we've been through. If you knew in advance some of the things you've had to go through, how do you think you would have felt? I think I would have been anxious and fearful and in constant state of worry. God gives us just enough grace for TODAY. This walk of faith is a DAILY walk, a marathon that will take us through our lives.
Have you ever ran a marathon? I have. I trained for months to be able to cover 26.2 miles. Day in and day out I ran my own race. I put in the work, and on the day of the race, I was able to finish. Our faith walk is the same. Day in and day out we need to do the work. Read Gods word, spend time with him, pray, worship, commune, share what we are learning with others. That is how we become stronger in him. I became a stronger runner with each step I took. We become stronger Christians with each step we take with Christ.
Gods word promises us in Isaiah 40:31 that will soar on wings like eagles, we will run and not grow weary, we will walk and not be faint.
How will that happen? By growing strong in the Lord. By having Hope that through His word we will find strength to endure whatever is around the corner. Hope that we can endure TODAY.
Do you have hope? If not, it may be because you aren't tapping into the well of hope that is Christ Jesus. Don't know Him? Contact me and I'll be happy to tell you all the good things the Father can do!! He loves you with an everlasting love. Tap into that well!!! Drink deeply. His living water will give you strength to go the distance!!
I woke up this morning before my alarm with a song in my heart...a prayer. As I sat down to begin my bible study I was overwhelmed by God's presence. So overwhelmed that I sat with eyes closed and began to silently cry. I kept my eyes closed because I could see Him.
Years ago I had a dream. A very vivid dream. I was laying in a room, dressed in white. In the corner of the room was Jesus. He was patiently sitting there, waiting. I remember asking him to just wait, because I wanted to see my brother first. Jesus was waiting for me to come home. (I still get emotional writing this). I remember after a time my brother Mike appeared, knelt beside me and told me it was ok. He loved me. And then I was curled up in my Saviors lap, like a little girl. He was patient and let me see my my brother before he ushered me into his arms.
I sit here with tears streaming down my face. I will never forget that dream. It was SO vivid. He was so BRIGHT. And so loving.
When I get overwhelmed sometimes with all that is going on in my life, he reminds me of that dream. That He is patiently waiting for me to come and curl up in his lap. That happened to me this morning. I closed my eyes and curled up into the loving arms of my Daddy. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head and told me "everything is going to work out. Just trust me".
A common theme for me recently is to be Thankful. No matter my circumstances. Be Thankful.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 is a verse where Habakkuk makes the greatest declaration in all of scripture:
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on
the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty
and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle
barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
Habakkuk is saying that no matter the circumstances before him, He will trust in the Lord. God brought me to that verse a few days ago. This morning in my Jesus Lives Devotional, the title of today's Devotional was Thankfulness. "A thankful attitude opens window of Heaven through which spiritual blessings fall freely". An attitude of thankfulness brings joy not only to the Father, but to us. It shifts our mindset and sets us free from the bondage of worry and fear.
I grew up fearing God. Fearing if I did something wrong he would punish me. God is ushering me into a new season. I will be an empty-nester. I am trying to sell my home. I'm re-evaluating my professional life. And I'm finding myself - as Stacie - a woman - not as just a Mom. Its a lot to process and it has created many emotions. But today, the emotion I will cling to is
THANKFULNESS.
Today I will curl up in the arms of my Daddy and let Him wrap his arms around me and hear him whisper "Its going to be ok".
