It's All About HOPE

It's been awhile.  Life just got in the way of my blogging for a bit.  Since I started this blog 5 weeks ago, life has been hectic.   I've found myself often happy, sad, angry, a little scared, but, for now I'm grateful.   I didn't want to start blogging about negative things so I refrained from sharing.  While I do not want to portray my life as even a teeny bit perfect, I will not allow it to be a venue for the enemy to host a party.  Our country is in conflict, our church is in conflict, I struggle to be a good mom, wife, and daughter of my Creator.  I'm back now to blog, not about the conflicts and struggles, but about what should and does get me back to the light, when these conflicts and struggles trick me into thinking I have nothing but darkness.  I want to share my life verse for 2010.   "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

I struggle to find "all joy and peace".  Sometimes I allow little things about myself, my family, my church, my country, etc., to seem BIG in my mind and before I know it, I'm pulled into a pit of (what seems at the time) hopelessness. While some of these burdens weigh more heavily on my heart than others, the TRUTH is that they really don't matter in the grand scheme of what I'm striving for. I am here, as we all are, to bring glory to Christ, seeking eternity with Him, as I muddle through this MINUTE phase of life. Worldly conflicts and struggles will continue to burden our hearts, but when we understand that we are just passing through, WE ARE FREE!   In this fallen world, in a country where we enjoy so much freedom that the very thought of government controlled healthcare is considered a threat to that freedom to many of us, this verse reminds me that our hope, joy and peace are not in the things of this world. We know this world offers suffering, but we, who know the truth are so blessed!  Our hope lies in our FAITH in Jesus.  JESUS is our HOPE, our only hope.  When the Holy Spirit pierces our hearts as we surrender and ask for salvation, we have access to "ALL joy and peace". Not some...ALL..."overflowing".  Infinite joy and peace...HOPE for eternity. 

 My previous life verse was Jeremiah 29:11- which says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future." I think God is trying to sell me a little something about hope.   I love The Message translation  "I know what I'm doing.  I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."  Well, of course!  Of course He knows what He's doing!  He is CREATOR, SAVIOR, REDEEMER, DELIVERER, EVERYTHING, too many names to name, but they can all stand for HOPE. 

This post is not to suggest that I now have the world figured out and I will never again be in conflict or struggle.  Nor is it to suggest that I will never again allow myself to be pulled into that dark pit from time to time.  Since I have shared this part of my heart, though, I pray I will remember what HOPE really is and let it bring me back to light in those moments where the enemy tries to hold me down in that darkness. This blah, blah, blah, might not make sense to anyone other than me.  It is my heart, for now...grateful for the awesome HOPE that is Jesus Christ. 

Checking for Fingerprints,
Kellie