We All Need A Little Hope.

 

As I opened my app to “Abide”, a daily Bible study and also an aid to sleeping, the verse for the day was this:

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2

I thought, “If ever there was a land of deep darkness it is here and it is now.” I know in the past there have been many dark times, but to my generation (Baby Boomers), this is the darkest time we have seen with our own eyes.

This verse was written around 740 BC and it was a prophecy about Jesus’ birth. It goes on to say,

      “For unto us a child is born,

unto us a son is given,

and the government will be upon His shoulders.

And He will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

 

The time of Jesus’ birth was indeed a dark era. Ancient Rome ruled the world and they were ruthless in their conquest. They did some good things, like bring water to cities by aqueducts, build roads and promote sanitation. They also banned human sacrifice, which they found abhorrent. But as we know, their rule was corrupt, cruel and without mercy. People needed hope and many found it in the Son of God.

 

The Christian religion began with a handful of Jesus’ followers, but as people heard the amazing story of how God’s son became a human being in order to save us, thousands and then millions believed. This message gave them hope that though our life here might be fraught with trouble, this wasn’t the only life, there was a life ahead with the God of the universe waiting to be with us.

 

As I said before, this is the darkest time I have lived in (I’m 72). With Russia invading Ukraine, the world is on the brink of a world war. The United States is being torn apart by the people on the left and right. Politics is a shitshow. The hatred between the two opposing camps could cause a split between the states or a civil war. Instead of coming together over the plague of Covid, we became farther apart. Politicians and regular citizens are getting death threats over disagreements about our culture and political stance. Lies are spread throughout media platforms. Trust in authorities has eroded because of the terrible things done in the past by some of them.

 

I hear on podcasts and read in newspapers how people are trying to cling to hope for the future, but it is hard for them. In my opinion, Global Warming will kill this planet. I think we have gone over the line of no return. Many people are deciding not to have children because of the disasters they see coming. Everyone needs hope.

 

 Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

                      Psalm 43:5

 

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Paul explains hope very well in Romans 8:18-25:  “…with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.  For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

 

There is a beautiful song, written and sung by Danny Gorkey called, “Hope in Front of Me.” Here are a few lines:

 

“I've been running through rain
That I thought would never end.
Trying to make it on faith
In a struggle against the wind.
I've seen the dark and the broken places,

But I know in my soul
No matter how bad it gets
I'll be alright.

 

There's hope in front of me
There's a light, I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it.

 

I might be down, but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen
There's hope in front of me, yeah

 

 

 

Is God Enough?

Although I've been a Christian since I was 19 and am now 66 years old, I have been a dumb, slow-learning Christian. Lots of times I have learned something good and then when the chips are down, I forget what I've learned. I'm sharing this for those who are also slow-learners in the Christian life. You can take heart, because you are not alone.

When my grandson died 4 years ago, it was my worst nightmare come true. I had always hoped and prayed no one young in my family would die. But it was not to be, and I know God knows everything and is all-wise, therefore he knows best.

I wondered how I would be able to cope with Craig's death. I loved him so much it was like he was a son instead of a grandson. I had babysat him for many years. When I first heard the news, of course I started screaming and crying; but as soon as my husband told me what Craig's last words to him were, I had instant peace.

Craig said, "Thank you both for praying for me."

I knew that God was telling us Craig would be saved and I would see him again. I still felt the pain of his death but a wonderful peace settled on me and that peace has never left. A few times, when I saw a video of Craig or a photo, I could feel my stomach lurch and pain in my heart. But I would turn to God and he was enough. He filled me with his peace and love.

God is enough when someone you love dies.

About two years ago, after I moved out of my daughter's house and quit babysitting my granddaughter, I became severely depressed. My husband and I lived alone; we didn't see our girls or grandchildren very often. I was so lonely and bored. I tried to find things to occupy my time but nothing worked. I felt dead inside. There was nothing to live for and so I took sleeping pills.

Well, obviously I didn't die. I went to therapy and tried to find a reason to live. Therapy helped me think more positively but this is what surprised me; God became enough for me. I told him how lonely I was and how I needed him and how it was just him and me now. It's amazing, but God's friendship became enough for me. I started to have happy days with him. I talked with him off and on during the day. I read the Bible more and Christian books and listened to on-line sermons. The days got better and better.

God is enough when you have lost everything you lived for.

I didn't know God would be enough to live for. I didn't know he could give me such happiness.

I told God how bored I was. I needed some ideas of what to do with myself. He did give me ideas for some arts and crafts hobbies. I am happier than I have been in my life. This has shocked me. This I did not expect.

God is enough when you are sick of life.

My sister lost all her possessions, except her old van, when she became sick and couldn't work. She lived with us for 2 years, but got sicker because of all the plant life here. She has many problems, one of them being allergies. So, she packed up her van and moved to Washington State which is free of almost all pollens. She became a little stronger and could at least go to a store and buy groceries and get out of bed.

As she became more accustomed to camping out in her van, she told me, "I have never been this happy in my life."

God is enough when you lose everything you own.

I thought I'd put some photos up of some of my art projects.

My granddaughter, Hope.

My granddaughter, Cherish.

Nancy Drew Altered Book.

Book of growing flowers.

Little Women.

The Pearl of Great Price.

Feeling What We Think.

I was listening to a sermon by Joyce Meyer the other day. She was preaching on, "Thinking."  She says our minds are a battlefield between good and evil thoughts. We can choose our thoughts, she says, and I believe her.

She said she used to wake up each day thinking about how she didn't want to get out of bed because she had to do the same old thing: cleaning up after other people. She would think about how no one helped her and no one cared.

I used to wake up thinking, "I wish I was dead." I hated living with my mental illness; I was tired of fighting it. Like Joyce, I felt there was no reason to get out of bed. I was totally bored with my life now that I no longer babysat my granddaughter. I tried to interest myself with new things, but everything felt grey and flat.

I learned through therapy I needed to have some positive thinking in my life. And I knew through Joyce I had to quote scripture and praise God first thing upon waking. This is what I do and it works. This morning I thought, "I'm conscious. What a nightmare."  Sheesh. The thoughts I have are unbelievable! But Joyce said in her sermon that we have to realize it is Satan giving us these bad thoughts. He wants us to give up on life and not trust God. I don't have to believe those thoughts.

I rarely ever think about Satan, but I have to admit she is right. Satan tempted Jesus with thoughts when he was in the wilderness. Jesus quoted scripture and then told Satan to go away. We can do the same.

The thoughts Joyce and I used to have made us angry, depressed and resentful towards others. Not a pretty picture. We all get these thoughts, but we don't have to dwell on them like I did. We can notice them and then ask God to throw them into the depths of the sea. Then think about something good. This works the same for lustful or hateful thoughts. Don't be surprised you have them; don't dwell on them.

Jesus said, "But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
Matthew 15:18-20

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  Philippians 4:8


Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.  1Peter 4:2

Do You Feel Like Giving Up?

Who am I?

Yesterday, I saw a question online. It asked, "When did you give up?"

I thought about that. I remember giving up wanting a husband after my divorce. It was when I gave up and left it to God that he brought me my new husband. I remember giving up on trying to give advice to my adult daughters. I had to let them go and trust their lives to God. I remember giving up worrying about the environment when 9/11 happened. I knew then we would blow each other up and went out and bought some paper towels. (I know, I know, I'm stupid sometimes.)

I remember giving up on myself, that I could do anything to save myself. God did the saving on the cross. I just had to trust in him and get to know him as a father, brother and friend. 

I remember giving up on life and taking sleeping pills. That happened last year. I guess I gave up on God too at the time.

I was so lonely; achingly lonely; my heart was in so much pain. But God has shown me, through therapy and the Bible, that he is enough for me; that I need no one but Him. He is enough. He can fill my heart and end my loneliness by being beside me all day and night. I just have to ask and believe, and I do. There is a song Don Moen sings called, "God Will Make A Way." It is true, no matter what is going on in your life, God will make a way to happiness and peace.

All this came into my mind this morning after reading this verse:

"I would have lost heart, if I had not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  Psalm 27:13

Who Is God?

Someone who dispenses hope like candy. He is, "The God of all hope..."

"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