HOPE

Through the years of talking and working with different people, I have seen the word hope diluted of its true meaning. I have heard countless people say they are hoping for something better, however, if you really listen what you hear is wishful thinking without any confidence of something better ever being.

A desire with an expectation of obtainment or fulfillment is the definition of hope. A confident expectation of something to come exemplifies how we should sound and look when we use the word hope.

I understand the world is full of disappointments. Our world is a broken system and by nature will flow in a cyclical pattern. There is a proverb that says, “when hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing; but when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.”

I can personally attest to becoming depressed when a hope is shattered or seems to never come. Yes, it weighs heavy on the heart and can be very depressing. Even when thinking of these past moments, it can trigger those feelings of hopelessness and despair.

However, when a dream is fulfilled it is like a tree of life! These moments nourish your soul, make you smile, and are truly therapy in our lives.

Hope is not wishful thinking. Hope is designed to set our sights on what can be! Hope is there to inspire us to work toward the goal. Hope encourages us to find our way. Hope, that confident expectation, helps us keep our eyes on the goal.

I am continually learning to trust and hold onto God’s promises. Many will scoff and say I am foolish to believe in God or the Bible for that manner, but I have too many personal stories to account for God’s faithfulness and His promises coming to life for me and my family.

The past 24 years have provided many personal experiences. As I look back over these, each experience has created the building block for where I am today. Over the past 12 years, I have seen this growth take leaps and bounds. Nothing is impossible for God!

I had to train myself to think of the word hope in a different light. Now, when I use the word hope, I expect God to help me get there. For what I am incapable of pulling off, I know I serve a God who can!

One of the very first times I can remember stepping out in faith and getting bold with God and His word took place when I discovered Darin and I were pregnant with our first child. It wasn’t too long after we found out we were expecting, I had a very serious conversation with the Lord. In this conversation, I asked the Lord if he indeed wrote and meant Galatians 3:13. This says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law”. From what I had learned so far, redeemed meant the price had been paid in full and therefore I was free from the curse and it could not touch me.
Next, I asked the Lord to ‘walk’ with me over to Genesis 3:16. Due to disobedience of mankind, God’s delivers the consequence to all women saying, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor, you will give birth to children”. This was a curse.

I asked him if this was indeed a curse. I felt he confirmed it with a yes. I asked if I was truly redeemed. I sensed yes again. So, I believed and placed hope in this promise that I was set free from these curses! I can honestly say I thought about it often through the pregnancy. Doubt always seemed to be standing there. Yet, I continued to believe God would keep his word. I never begged God for the absence of pain. I just would declare who I was and what I was free from.

Our daughter surprised us by coming 9 weeks early. I had no idea I was in labor at the time, I had no pain. I thought the tightening of muscles I was experiencing were Braxton Hicks contractions. Because of an unusual symptom, I stopped by the hospital just to be safe. Well, we were shocked to discover I was fully ready to deliver. To make a long story short, they were able to keep me from delivering for 48 hours. On a Monday, she came into the world little but strong. We were able to bring her home after a month NICU stay.

I had experienced God’s promise. We have two other children who thankfully arrived on time without me experiencing any labor discomforts. I can only give God the glory and thanks for these experiences. It would be years later before I would meet other women who had stood on the same promises, experiencing painless labor for themselves. I have also had the privilege of sharing my experience with others who chose to believe seeing the promises work for them.

I challenge you to think of how you define hope. Is it watered down? Do you have a confident expectation? Are there some areas in your life that you have given up on a dream because it did not come together when you wanted it too or the obstacles seemed insurmountable? Have these events caused your true hope to wain? Have those moments allowed depression or doubt to affect other areas of your life?

I want to encourage you…DON’T GIVE UP!

Remember, a longing fulfilled in your life is a tree of life! It refreshes!

At the beginning of the year, God gave me this phrase.
Delay is not denial!

I was so encouraged for multiple reasons. We love things to happen on our own timetable, however, God knows how to take us to places of victory. He never takes his eyes off us! He is always with us! We can trust him and His promises! We need just to believe!