Hope is essential

Hello again! Over the past few days, this idea of "hope" has been weighing heavily on my heart. Without hope, what do we have?

Sunday at church, our pastor, Rob Warren, spoke of the Christmas story and one of its components happens to be... yep you guessed it- HOPE. As long as we are living, hope is what gets us through. The hope to better humanity, the hope that one day we will have eternal life with God in the kingdom of heaven, the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. This is a universal concept and it goes without saying- it's important.

Then today I was spending time with a friend and we watched a movie. The idea of hope was a very prevalent theme within the movie. So, two days in a row, this concept has been talked about in length. Do you think that maybe God is trying to tell me something? I'd like to think so. He has His ways of showing up in the craziest times and in the craziest forms. 

If you've kept up with my blogs, you know what's been going on these last few weeks and you know it hasn't been the easiest time in my life. However, I am climbing up this mountain and over the obstacles in my life with a smile on my face and blessings pouring down on me. Blessings that I don't deserve, but nevertheless, our God is merciful. It's not always easy to look up. Sure, there have been days when I wake up and have to force myself to put on a smile. Yes, there are days when I am feeling down and out. But God has blessed me with a sense of peace throughout the most difficult times. These blessings have only been a result of struggle and triumph.

I have chosen hope. I have chosen strength. And I choose to give it all to the Lord. His plan will prevail. 

I am happy to say that while God has flipped my world upside down, He has blessed me with some amazing people to rely on, to get closer to, to help, to love. I get this feeling that I am right where I'm meant to be, with the people I'm meant to be with. I have been praying about this one certain relationship with someone in particular, and I am receiving only positive feedback in return. I pray that this relationship will continue to grow and blossom with God being the center. I have faith in it :) I will continue to have hope in the Lord that he knows what he's doing. After all, he did create all of the universe. Isn't that enough to give you hope? 

I am going to leave you with this verse in hope that you take it to heart and think about it. It's beautiful. 

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5: 2-5 

Have a lovely week readers!