Hope

Tonight I was going through my school stuff because I am going to get my classroom ready early...yes I am the overachieving new teacher. :P I came across a magazine my friends puts together so I decided to flip through the pages and I stopped an article my friend wrote. The article had to do with hope...which is a "kawinkydink" because we talked about hope and wish on a long journey of ours.

Hope:1. (noun) a feeling of desire for something and confidence in the possibility of its fulfilment: 2. (verb) to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence. 3. (verb) to believe, desire, or trust

Wish: 1. (verb) to want; desire; long for; 2. (noun) a request or command

"Without Hope there is nothing to push us onward; nothing that will cause us to desire more or when we need to be diligent when life is hard and we do not feel like doing anything.... Hope and faith in a future, is not 'wishful thinking,' it is so much more concrete than that. When we look at what it means to have hope that is given by God it means that we have confidence knowing that we have a future promised to us. We can be confident because God told us we have hope just like we have air....hope does not mean that there are never any hard times; ..."

So many times we toss around the word hope so freely and I think in most cases what we really mean is we wish for this or we wish for that. God promised a future which he already has all planned out for us and I believe the closer our relationship with Christ can determine how and how much we accept those plans. My friend asked me what I had hoped my future looked like and I could not give her a "good" answer because I never really sat down and thought more in depth than just wishing that I will have this or that in my future... love these conversations with my friends because they definitely make me think and reevaluate myself.

"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." Jeremiah 29:11

"For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5

"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 ask that my God of hope overflows my heart with his love, joy, peace, strength, grace, mercy, faith, and HOPE. My summer has been me traveling ALL over the place but now I am hungry for Him!!!



Great song which helps us realize that it is God's love we need and it sets us free

Day 3-4: Encourage

Day 3-4
Titus 1:1b "I (Paul) encourage God's own people to have more faith and to understand the truth about religion." (CEV)

Paul wrote to God's people, especially Titus here, telling him God speaks and He always does what He says. It's settled and "God promised long ago hope for eternal life and He doesn't lie." (Titus 1:2)

Psalm 103:12 → God has removed our transgressions of sin as far as the east is from the west.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 → God's grace is sufficient for us and all our needs. His power is strongest when we are weak; therefore, when I am weak, I am strong.

Jeremiah 29:11 → God knows the plans for us He will bless us will a future fill with hope, a future for us to prosper (be successful) and not harm us (no suffering).

Psalm 147:3 → God heals the brokenhearted and our bodies. And He binds up their wounds (renews our hope).

1 John 1:9 → God is faithful and just. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness.

"Dear God, I come before You for You have done great things. You have plans for our lives, You have given me strength when I am weak, You have forgiven me when I have sinned against You, and You have healed me when I was broken. I thank you Heavenly Father and I open my heart to You. Please come into my life and take over. For it is You where I find my strength."