Tag: hope

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12

I have been wearing a silver bracelet on my wrist for the last few years. It used to have a charm that had “hope” on one side and “joy” on the other. That charm broke of long ago, but I keep wearing it with just the little ring that used to hold the charm as a reminder to keep looking for hope and joy.

The other night as I was pondering and praying about my daughter’s profession of faith, I realized that I was feeling something. After some focused effort, even looking up its definition, I recognized that I was feeling joy! I was delighted by God’s gift of faith in my daughter. After I recounted that to my counselor and told her about the bracelet, I was inspired to look on the internet to see if I could find charms of hope and joy to replace the lost one. I’ve casually looked over the years in stores, but with no luck. Last night I found some inexpensive ones online, so I ordered them, figuring I would put the “joy” one on and wait with the “hope” one until God showed me the time.

Today I got notice from the charm company that part of the cost had been refunded to my PayPal account, and it came with this note:

Message From Seller: CF4-HOPE IS OUT OF STOCK. PLEASE REORDER IN 2 WEEKS. SORRY

Hope is out of stock! I just had to start laughing. I guess I’m not supposed to have hope yet. I wonder what God has for me in the hope department in two weeks! I wanted to send a reply “hope deferred makes the heart sick,” but I didn’t.

I shared this with the girls, and they both just howled … “that is really what feels like a lot, isn’t it mommy? Hope is just out of stock.”

Good thing we know the true source of hope … he’s given back some joy, now I just need to recognize how he’s given the hope!

You are so funny sometimes, Lord!
Maybe it is just to show me how silly I am to continue to look around for hope
when you have placed it within us.
You, oh Lord, are my healer and the lifter of my head.
You have been my shelter, my strong tower, my refuge, my strength and my shield.
You have raised me up on eagle’s wings.
That is hope … it is definitely not out of stock! Amen.

1/8/08

Multiple conversations in the last week have circled back around to statements, questions, comments, or ponderings about hope. That intangible but essential element of life that settles somewhere in that place we call our soul. Without hope, life withers and dies. With hope, amazing and utterly God-sized occurrences invade our world. If you have walked the journey very long with me, you will likely hear my story about hope and joy charms and bracelets that have been bought, lost, found, returned, given, lost, recovered, and the like. When God first lead me to the idea of a tangible reminder to inspire me forward through small, inexpensive charms, the response from the online vendor was “ HOPE is out of stock.” Should I laugh or cry? I laughed, and still do whenever I recall the story.

Over the years my “hope” has tried to go down the drain, be lost, and the like. Over the years I’ve lost and recovered the charms through seemingly miraculous means. I’ve now lost two of those precious bracelets in my home or in my car (and I’m not one who loses things easily, so this is always “not so funny, Lord”). My friend recently created a new one for me (see photo) … and I’ve attached myself to hope more securely through a ring on my finger (though, within a week I did something that tarnished the ring in a hurry … “tarnished hope” is a whole new concept to ponder!).

But my point … Hope is a thing that everyone in the world understands as essential, but we as believers in Jesus are the only ones who can lead others to the true source, the deep soul encouragement, the One who is our hope. Hope doesn’t go out of stock or go down the drain or get lost on a whim. Jesus, our hope, is our firm foundation, our anchor, our buoy, our way through the stuff of this life.

I’m so grateful for the lessons of hope and the nurturing love of my Father as I’ve struggled to hold on to hope.

8/30/15

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

For most of the past decade, God has been patient with me as I follow my quest to settle hope in my own heart. I have documented the oft-humorous situations and happenings that have punctuated the journey. (As I write, I am wearing bracelet number three because the ‘hope’ bead once again dislodged from bracelet number 4. At least ‘hope’ isn’t lost and gone forever!)

This past week God did it again. A friend at Bible study declared that God was “showing off” in amazing ways. I couldn’t agree more!

He caught my attention nearly two years ago when one of the first clients I was able to serve who was doing hippotherapy was Hope. Although her body is far from able and her ability to even communicate her needs, let alone her heart, God gave me eyes to see and a heart to love her beyond what I could have even asked him for. He is merciful to give me glimpses of his love for humanity, broken and battered beautiful ones, we are!

Sensing his desire to show me more, he led me to volunteer at a local food bank. My role is to meet any new participants to listen to their stories and offer any resources we have or are aware of that might assist them on their journeys. I had few expectations except that I knew that God would show me more about himself by introducing me to more of his beloved in need of grace and mercy.

The first night, on my first “solo” interaction, I met Ahmal, a young, married woman who has a one-year-old daughter and who is also nominal Muslim from a north African country. I was instantly attracted to her joyful personality. Over the weeks, her father sometimes came along and we exchanged smiles. A couple of weeks ago, Ahmal came in so excited to tell me about the GED classes she was about to start. She was also excited that her little one was turning one and invited me to her party!

It was a joy to meet her husband, feel the warmth of her accepting mother, meet the other Americans (most probably not believers) who have welcomed her with warmth and fun that makes one wonder why the church isn’t more like them, and celebrate. After feasting on the beautiful “Hello Kitty” and Iranian cakes, I drove away feeling blessed.

Last week Ahmal came in without her usual joy. I asked about her classes, and she honestly shared about her struggles. “Hold on to hope,” I said, trying to encourage her. “Did you know?” she said, “that is what my name means.”

I am not so great at math, but even I know that the odds of two young women named Hope being in these two locations are quite low. Right? I think my friend was right … God was just showing off! Hope isn’t a wistful wish or a bead on a bracelet or something beyond grasp. Hope is what he gives of himself. It is accomplished in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus and empowered through his Spirit. Hope comes with peace and joy as we trust in him.

And, for me, Hope is there in the lives of two young women who, by his grace, show me just how my God loves.

Oh Father,

Thank you for showing off!

Thank you for blasting into my

Little life to teach me,

To woo me,

To grow my head, heart, and soul

To see what you see.

Love through me, Lord.

Bring them your peace … and joy.

February 10, 2017

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

In the 24 hours that turned Wednesday into Thursday, the sunny 80-degree day that felt like summer turned to the low of 18 degrees and a blanket of snow. After the long, dry autumn, it was becoming easy to believe endless summer had disrupted the dependable seasons of life. I am a warm weather lover, but even I am celebrating this vivid reminder of the hope I have because of the proof of God keeping his promises! Genesis 8:22 ” As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

In a single day, I saw many snippets of hope as I engaged with others on their journey. Three of the friends came for their hippotherapy sessions. All three of them had the kind of day on the horse that left me in a broad smile as I drove home. Hope grabbed the reins with two hands and held them for a few strides, both of which are remarkable. She reached across and put a toy in the mailbox, another challenge accomplished. At the conclusion of her ride, she leaned forward on her own to allow for a safe and easier dismount. It was a day of accomplishments.

Alexi and I started with connection through a fist bump, a pet for Honey, and his huge smile. As he rode, he engaged more, held the reins in one hand, and held his head high. So simple for us, but such joy and fun when he does it! Lynnea rides, smiles, braids the horse tail, and this week, focused and located the small colored blocks tossed around the pasture. She vocalized requests for help and finished her ride by untacking the horse and putting things away. All of these things represent progress and bring joy to us … and to her ever-present, dedicated mom.

Hope and moments of joy propel us in a world of heaviness.

It would be pretty difficult to have missed the heaviness that has come to our country, states, neighborhoods, and families through this election season and the results. I dare to tread here because I think we all need reminders of hope, no matter how we voted, what we fear, and what drives our thoughts and prayers as a result. I am still one who wraps a bracelet around my arm every day with the words “hope” and “joy” as visible reminders, so I am offering this to myself first!

God has blessed us with future-orientation: If we are in him, we have hope in a glorious inheritance. We have the gift of a “this isn’t all there is” and “this world is not my home” orientation. We know that the struggle is real, and we know that we must endure. At times we may question the power, love, and even reality of God as we scan the difficulties in the lives around us. I pray for you, friend, that in those times he will open the eyes of your heart to see the snippets of hope in your life, in the lives of your family and friends, in the selfless giving of so many in your community who care and pour themselves out in love. Certainly the opposite is also true, but turning the eyes of our hearts to the reigning king and kingdom, hope and moments of joy can propel us in a world of heaviness.

Father, Son, and Spirit, please enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I may know the hope to which you has called me, the riches of your glorious inheritance in your holy people, and your incomparably great power for me because I believe (Ephesians 1:18-19a).

Tender my heart to see and love and recognize the hope and moments of joy that can propel me in this world of heaviness!

Thank you for telling me “this isn’t all there is!”

Amen

November 22, 2016