Hope

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:4

So, New Year’s Day I went to Pearl for a visit. The prior week I spent with my niece, and we had such a good time. We shared many laughs, smiles, and coffee. Sometimes shoes. I feel like ninety-five percent of my life that week I said, “Please put your shoes and your jacket on”. What can I say? She is related to me, and because of that I also had to put my shoes on. And my jacket. I tried really hard not to roll my eyes at that last sentence, but I seemed to have failed at that. Anyway, I did not come here to tell you how much I hate shoes I think you have figured that out by now.

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While I was in Pearl I learned some things I want to share with you.

1. No amount of time is ever enough when spending with the ones you love.
2. I have missed out on a lot and I realized while I am building my life here life is still going on for them there.
3. Hope is beautiful.

I saw once on a picture that hope stood for Hold On Pain Ends, and I believe that to be true. While I was there I came across some of my old journals, and I wrote from a very dark hole where no light shown through. I could feel in every word I read the hopelessness that had taken ahold of me, and it took me back to a place I had forgotten I came from. My Egypt. Ya know, sometimes when I read about the Israelites and all of their captivity going on a thought always comes to mind. “I am not as bad as they were”, but truth is even when I have the hardest time admitting it I definitely am. Those journals showed me that in my weakest, scariest moments I was held captive by sin. I wandered completely lost in a dark pit for many years. I did not belong in the family of God, and an enemy I was. I completely turned my back on the One who never turned His. But God (don’t miss that) fought for me. What love is this? In my old room sitting on my bed reading word after word, I was overwhelmed by the love of my Father. I could see where His hand was on my life, and how He never gave up bringing me to Himself little by little. He did not go to the Walmarts searching for me. No, He did not. He grabbed me up literally from the pits of Hell.  I am thankful today that He is a God who tears down walls, fights for what is His, and forgives even His enemies. Oh, how I do not deserve that, but in His grace and mercy He sent Jesus the promised one. And then there was hope.

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” Psalm 71:14

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Today, sitting at this computer waiting for class to start, I have hope. And even on my hardest days I still have it. I do not know what is going on in any life that is reading this right now, but I do know that there is One who wants to know. I know He is waiting for you, because that is just who He is. A Daddy who gives us hope, and loves us through.