Hold On To Hope

Hold On To Hope

Like so many, the kitchen really feels like the heart of the house for me.

 I can’t tell you how many hours have been logged there laughing, cooking, eating, dancing & digging deep in rich conversations. It’s been a place of pure joy.  It’s amazing how much things can change in just a moment.

 

 These past few days, my kitchen has become a central hub during our period of self-quarantine  as my family, along with so many across the world are practicing social distancing. Now our light conversations have turned to updated covid-19 information, fielding questions of what this means for us as a society & deep prayer for those affected around the world. So many things have stayed the same…yet so many things are now different. 

 

One thing that remains a constant in my kitchen is my husband’s painting, that I sit directly under to pray, which displays one single word: HOPE. Everytime I look at it, I am reminded of four words that God spoke to my heart, sometime ago, during a tough time -it really carried me through: HOLD ON TO HOPE.

 

In the midst of the storms…hold on to Hope. When it seems darkest my friend…hold on to Hope. When all seems lost…hold on to Hope. 

My prayer is that you would carry hope deep in your hearts and never let it go. 

. I’ve learned over the years that hope isn’t a warm & fuzzy ideal that makes us feel good for a temporary moment. 

Hope is enduring. Hope is inextinguishable . Hope stands the test of time.

Hope is a weapon that pushes back the darkness.

 

Our hope is all of these things and more because our hope is in God. When life gets hard and difficult to understand, put your trust in the One who has been faithful throughout the ages. God didn’t promise us a storm free life. What He did promise us is that He will never leave us or forsake us during the storm.  I’m reminded of the verse in Isaiah 43:2 that says: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. That’s what crisis and storms come to do in our lives; overwhelm us to the point that we feel there’s no way out..but Hope is an anchor that keeps us steadfast in every storm.

Hope is this glorious posture of defiance to the overwhelming darkness that tries to surround us. 

In this season, like never before, our hope in God needs to be intentional and active. Hope will keep us from succumbing to despair. King David understood this in the most trying season of his life. He said “why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again -my Savior and my God!  (Psalm 42:11)

When fear and anxiety want to consume our hearts, Hope recalls all that God has done and the ways in which He has brought us through in times past. He remains the same yesterday and forever, and if He’s brought you through before…He is more than able to do it again. Hold on to Hope, my friend, no matter what it looks like.  Yes, the current pandemic is contagious and along with it, the fear in many hearts. But this I know… Hope is also contagious. 

So we make the bold choice today to hold on to Hope.

We are praying that You and your families would experience God’s peace during this time.

God has promised that He is with us; that He will strengthen and help us in time of trouble.

This promise is what we will hold on to and never let go.

 

Be encouraged. God is with us. 

Hold on to Hope.