Hope and Infertility........By Christina Blow ..GUEST BLOGGER

Hope. My husband and I spent many years hoping for a child. I spent many days crying over negative tests. Being childless is a choice for some; for us it was the albatross. After years of waiting, doctors became extremely intimate with my body. Blood was drawn every other day, uncomfortable examinations marked half of each month, embarrassing procedures became routine. Our arms remained empty. We conceived, but those children were quickly born to heaven. I ached for the children we lost, I ached for any child. My husband was not open to adoption.

Our friends and family tried to support us. So often I heard, “There’s always next month.”, “We know you’ll have a child.” “Why don’t you JUST adopt” “Are you going to try again?”. I tried to smile through it, but I was angry with God. I felt isolated from almost anyone around me. It seemed like very few understood what I was feeling, or how to reach out to me. Why couldn’t people see that they can’t KNOW we’ll have a child? Only God knows! Adoption isn’t easy, and it wasn’t something we wanted. Next month? That won’t replace the child I lost before getting to know! Seeing a baby or a pregnant woman was like a knife shooting through me. Walking past baby and children’s clothes in a store could bring tears to my eyes. Hearing little voices in the background when a friend called stung my soul.

An on-line support group for Christian women with infertility and loss became my life-line. Through hannahsprayer.org I made friends, no, I met sisters in Christ, who understood. They cried with me, let me rant and rave, rejoiced. They understood what the fertility drugs were doing to my body and emotions. They understood how my heart ached.

In the midst of my pain I started reaching to God, begging Him to show me WHY this had to be so hard for us. WHY I felt so isolated. I did not like the answer He gave me, but it renewed my hope. As I read through the Bible I kept realizing that God made us to serve others. “Uhm, excuse me, God”, I thought, “I’m telling You I need more, not that I want You to give me more. This isn’t what I wanted to hear.”

I was not serving others at all. I had all kinds of excuses . . . from it hurts too much to I don’t know when my next doctor’s appointment is so I can’t commit. When serving finally won over something miraculous happened. God knew what I needed to hear. My wounds and anger started to heal. I started to connect with others and didn’t feel isolated. Insensitive comments didn’t hurt, they HELPED because I looked at the intention behind them.

Serving others wasn’t a huge commitment. Serving others just involved listening to their pain instead of focusing on my own. It meant remembering a prayer request, giving someone a hug when they looked like they needed one, giving a flower to a friend who was having a rough time. I’m not good at those things, they don’t come naturally to me. I’ve gotten better with practice, and I hope God teaches me how to truly lay my life down to serve others, to learn to humble myself. The hope we have is in Him and we find that hope and joy through Him. When you start following His call your troubles melt into something less; you become a part of something more.

.

Christina Blow:
Christina Blow likes sharing  her encouraging testimony with infertility and the hope she gained through the process. She is married to the man of her dreams and prayers. After being blessed with her husband, she has stayed home to care for him, her dog, their three cats and now their two rambunctious sons. Juggling the duties of a mother , kindergartner ,home-schooled preschooler keeps her time more than filled. She lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio with her family.
hannahsprayer.org

Got Legal Rights?

There is something to be said about rainy days. I just love them! The sound of the rain hitting the roof is like someone whispering to me,"Take the day off and relax!" You don't have to tell me twice! The cloudy dismal day gives me a reason to light some candles, curl up with a cozy blanket, good book and call it a day!

This past week here in the Mojave Desert has been a week of this fantastic rain. When you haven't seen rain in almost a year, it becomes a cherished phenomenon. The Mojave gets most of its rain fall in the winter months between October to March. Rainfall in the Mojave is very changeable from day to night, and can range from 2.23 to 2.5 inches a year.

In my relaxation and reading time, I had the chance to dig more into the book of Romans, written by the Apostle Paul. Something incredible stood out to me today as I read the verse, Romans 1:17. I wanted to share it because I was compelled by the truth to tell you your rights as a Child of God.

Let me first begin by asking you a question. If you knew you were being sentenced to death because of a crime you had committed, would you want to have the best legal representation possible? Of course, you would. It would be a matter of life and death. This is why we hire lawyers, to educate us and represent our legal rights.

Well, what if I told you that the "righteousness from God" is a state of "being in the right" or declared "not guilty" in relationship to God.( Romans 1:17) It is a legal term. Basically stating your legal rights in spiritual matters.

Interesting, don't you think? Here is the thing that we need to understand and take heart in, not only for ourselves but for others too. The devil in the spirit realm holds legal rights over you if you are not saved. His rights will be exercised to sentence you to death if you don't choose Christ as Savior. So, your verdict is death! Death in your physical body as well as your spiritual one. BUT if you chose Jesus Christ to be your legal representative, then HE just won your case from death. Your verdict will surely be a victorious, "NOT GUILTY!" In other words, you are off the hook, you go free, forgiven of all your sins and crimes when you stand before the God of all the earth on Judgment Day.

HEAVY stuff, huh? I know you may not be use to me speaking like this, but if you truly know me, I have never been one to step around the truth, especially in these last days. My love for you is that you would not only choose Christ as Savior but that you would know Him now in this life and live abundantly.

Why is this so important to understand not just for yourself but for others too? Well, because you have the opportunity to tell others who legally protects you, Jesus Christ. He holds your rights for eternity. You need Him on on your legal side to fight for your life. When you choose Christ, you just legally contracted yourself to an agreement with God that He would spare you from the judgment that will come in the end. You will not be judged, but instead, be set free from all your sins. To live all eternity with Him!

I guess one of the visions I hold in my head is this, before me, I see the Highest Court in the land with God as Judge. All the people are seated as they wait for their case to be heard. As I sit there and wait to stand before God myself, I watch so many people before me go and I hear,"Guilty!" being spoken over and over again. Some of them, I recognize as friends and even family members. They turn to look at me and ask, " Why did you not tell me about my rights? You had your rights told to you, why did you not tell me mine?" And I literally have no answer to give! Then, comes my turn and although my verdict will be,"Innocent, Go Free," I somehow can't rejoice in my victory. Instead I am filled with grief.

I don't tell you this story so that you are plead with guilt or shame for not sharing the gospel of salvation with others. For there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. God always gives us another chance. He is patient and forgiving like that. However, I tell you this, so you know that our time is short here on this earth and as each day passes, God will give you another opportunity to share the rights of others with with them. The Apostle Paul was determined and committed to spread the gospel to others. To the point, he died because of it. For most of us, we will not endure such a price to pay.

How do you share the gospel you might ask? Well, I don't have all the answers. Sure, I have a "religious" one, get your bible out and tell them salvation scriptures, etc.,etc. Yes, that works well. But, I believe that if your heart is truly in the right place and focused on God's love for others, I am praying that the Holy Spirit will guide you with the right words. I distinctly remember the story of the thief on the cross with Jesus. Jesus simply shared the hope and forgiveness with the dying thief, no scriptures were used, but just Jesus's love and compassion shared.(This story is found in the Gospels) Just take a step of faith and watch God use you. Don't make it this religious, "Hell Fire and Damnation" act or this rigid act that takes away from relating to a human being. That never works and God is not like that. He is a gentle, patient, loving God. Shoving it down people's throats only keeps them from Christ. God is in the business of drawing them with His love using the Holy Spirit through you.

Simply, just share the Love of Christ through your example and from that God will guide the rest. This,I am sure of! I have had the honor of witnessing to a few people about Christ. Each one was different, but the end result was beautiful and personal, pointing to love and forgiveness in Christ!

Will you do it? Will I do it? My prayer is, "Please Lord COMPEL us to do so and give us the opportunity to be faithful to share truth and our rights in Christ with others!" There have been many times in my walk that I have not shared for whatever reason, fear, shame or just plain ignorance, but "To Whom Much is given, Much is required!"

May we all understand our responsibilities to not only share the love of Christ but more so our legal rights bound to the Father in Heaven!

Have a blessed, hope filled and righteous day! Don't worry tomorrow's blog won't be so Heavy, but sometimes the truth is necessary. May it do what it is called to do in each of us, transform us and compel us to Christ!

What is Your One Liner?

Wooohooo, it's hump day people! We are 3 days into this week and I still have some motivation and spring left in my step ...However, it is still only morning time and I have had only 1 cup of coffee so far. So having said that, my plans might quickly change considering I am staring at loads of laundry and two toddlers who can quickly work over the United States Army in about 40 seconds flat! But,I say ,"Bring it on, but be gentle, PLEASE!"

Our focus today will be on you! I don't know about you, but I get excited when I get to focus on "me!" Who doesn't? Sometimes I am prone to think about ME, all day long and it seems to me that I am the only one that is okay with that concept. BUT, I guess everyone is entitled to their opinions-LOL!

Seriously though, I want to take you to the Book of Romans today to Chapter 1:1, it reads, "Paul, a bond servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God."

Just in that one sentence alone, what is it stating to you about Paul? Before you answer, remember that Paul is writing this about himself. He is introducing himself through a letter to the people of Rome before his visit.

The answer is very simple, Paul is identifying himself as bond servant for the Lord Jesus Christ, an apostle ,SET APART, for the mission of preaching the gospel of God.

Duh, pretty easy, huh? This ain't rocket science people!-LOL! Hang with me, you might just learn something.... But what else do you notice BEHIND his words?.....
He says it with certainty, authority and purpose! Now this is what I am talking about! A man on a mission! Paul knew who he was, Whose he was and what his purpose was AND more importantly, he is able to say it with one sentence, a ONE LINER! Believe me, I am impressed. I have NEVER been able to say anything with just one sentence, or one word for that matter!

Hello??? How does just this one sentence alone speak to you? For me,I was taken back by the clear, simplicity and confidence behind it. He didn't waste a word and quickly stated his business! I like that in a man-LOL! And for a writer it is even better!! But we won't go there....

The Apostle Paul and I could have been running buddies for sure! I admire his confidence and authority in how he conducted himself. He knew without a shadow of a doubt what his life was about and what he was set apart to do and for who! He wasted no time with small talk , he had plans to unfold, a mission at stake and all for the Lord Jesus Christ. He was CROSSeyed as I like to say it!

So many people today, Christians included, have no real understanding of what they are set apart to do. They spend their whole lives trying to have purpose and some of them never find it. I find that so sad and I am sure God finds it even sadder. We were created with purpose people!!!

When we understand our purpose we can change the world and the people around us. How powerful is that? Think about some people you might know who without a shadow of a doubt have a passion for something? They wake up everyday with a goal in mind and do whatever it takes to accomplish it. Most of those people I know are happy and fulfilled. They might be tired sometimes, but they will be quick to tell you, they will be out there tomorrow doing the same thing. No questions asked!

People like that amaze me. They motivate and inspire me. Makes me want to follow them! That is a gift and we all can tap into it just like Paul when we choose to identify our lives with Christ and with His purposes in mind. The Apostle Paul was a very focused, determined, passionate, fearless, truthful, motivated, obedient, courageous, committed servant of the Lord. The list could go on for days. Personally, his resume would make one feel a bit intimidated but with God there is nothing but excellence!

To me, he is the ultimate example to follow because he knew God had him SET APART for His kingdom. What does it mean to be set apart?

The Greek word id Aphorizo which means:
Definition

1. to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate
1. in a bad sense: to exclude as disreputable
2. in a good sense: to appoint, set apart for some purpose

Just so you know, we are ALL called to be servants of the Lord, set apart for the same purpose. However, some of our gifts might look different then Paul's and our mission might not be so challenging.

Not only are we set apart for God but we are also set apart FROM something to. What would that be for you? We are to be set apart from this world for one. I am sure there are more answers as you begin to ask yourself these questions.

We can learn so much from the Apostle Paul and I am so grateful to have his example recorded for us so that we too can learn our purpose in this life and more so in the Kingdom of God.

I leave you with this question to ponder today as you go about your day or business being set apart for worship and glorifying God.

If you had to use a one liner to describe you and your purpose what would it be???

Blog me some answers people! Have a blessed one and know you are purposed for great things!!!

BTW- If you don't know your gifts, you might want to consider taking a spiritual gifts test. You can find them on-lone and some churches even have them. Start there and then allow God to show you your resume and see what kind of Job he has assigned you to.....

Be Bold and Courageous today and GET PURPOSED! - Kimchi Blow

A Face to Face Encounter With God

A Face to Face Encounter Read 2 Kings 4 :8- 37 (The Shunammite's son restored to life)

As you read this passage of scripture, you find that a Shunammite couple open up their home for a traveling Holy man, Elisha, to stay the night in an upper room they have prepared for him, whenever he passes thru their town, Shunem. Elisha was touched by their hospitality and wanted to bless them because of it. He asked the Shunammite woman if there was any way who could repay the favor. She replied, that there was really nothing he could do for her because her needs seemed to be met, but Gehazi, Elisha's servant, knew that this woman was barren and so he told Elisha. After receiving this information, Elisha prophesied over the woman that she would have a son. At first, the woman was not able to receive it because she was afraid that it would not come to pass, but Elisha assured her that the blessing was there. And a year later and she bore a son.

The child grew and one day became ill and died. The desperate Shunammite woman was stricken with such deep grief that she begged her husband to allow her to find Elisha to pray over her son. She traveled and met Elisha and his servant on the road. Elisha hearing of the grave news, sent his servant, Gehazi, ahead of him to lay his staff on the boys head. Willingly, Gehazi traveled ahead and did just as Elisha had asked, but nothing happened.

Eventually, Elisha reached the woman's house and went into the room where the dead boy lay and closed the door. Elisha prayed to God, then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he did this, the boy's body grew warm and he was awaken. Obviously, the woman rejoiced that her God delivered him from death!

In this day and age, we are all looking for a miracle such as this. God wants to show us a face to face encounter with him, just like the one we saw in this story. He knows that some of us need it in our lives, whether it is thru broken relationships, marriages, prodigal children, health, finances, whatever the circumstances ,God wants to show you His love. Because, just as you saw in this story, He is a God that shows up on scene and meets you face to face.

Notice, how the Shunammite woman allowed the Holy Man to enter into her home, her life, even before the tragedy took place. We must first invite God into our lives and into our circumstances before he can perform such an act of faith.

Invite God today for a face to face encounter. Allow him to show up on scene for a miracle. You have not, because you ask not and God has been waiting to show you just a glimpse of what He can do for you today.

A Moment Pondered.........

A MOMENT PONDERED
What would you do if all your basic necessities like, food, water, shelter, clothing were taken away from you in an instant without any hope in sight to get it back? I can’t even begin to imagine what that would be like. I pray I never do. It has been said that the human spirit can rise above destruction, devastation and hopelessness and live. But how?

Over the past few days, I have dared to watch the events unfold on television in Haiti from the massive earthquake that hit. The injured people, death, chaos and desperation goes beyond any scope that my mind can relate to. One has to ask if I were there, what would I do? Would I be able to withstand losing all four of my children, knowing they were crushed and buried under some concrete building? Just writing that makes my heart break! How would I ever be able to sustain the human spirit to deal with such loss? Why would I want to?

How does a pregnant woman in labor feel giving birth as the world around her is falling apart and there is no one there to help her in this vulnerable state that she and her baby are in? What does she do? How do already orphaned children who are vulnerable, abandoned and needy as is deal with more disappointment and loss? What do you tell them?

How do you put back together a nation that was already known for its poverty and poor quality of life? Where does the hope come from when you have to tell a husband that his wife and children are trapped and there is no way to get to them? And he has to hear their cries of suffering and he stands helpless?

All of these questions and then some are only a few of the circumstances surrounding Haiti right now. How does this nation try and bury nearly a 100, 000 people and try keep order and control. Where are the answers? Someone please tell me?

Quite simply, there are none.

This is where God has to come in This is where God has to be thought of. This is where God is the answer because He is the one who knows the end from the beginning for us all. I can’t imagine the depths of the situations He deals with and to Him, it is not a problem. Haiti is not far from His heart or deliverance. It simply amazes me the God we serve. To Him, Haiti is a part of the plan, a part of the puzzle that fits within the bigger picture. I marvel at it all . I am HUMBLED by it. I stand in awe of it. It just simply leaves me speechless, but then again that is what standing before an Awesome, Holy God is supposed to do.

Some how when I lay my head on the pillow tonight and pull my warm covers over me, those images will fade away as my mind goes into sleep mode. Hopefully,I will awake refreshed , renewed and alive tomorrow, God willing. I will have but for a moment forgotten about Haiti as I get my warm shower and hot cup of coffee. I will have forgotten until I choose to turn the news on again or read a newspaper, etc. I will have had the opportunity to turn my back on the human suffering that touched me so deeply the night before. And I will still have that choice to shut it off and resume my cushy life as if all is great in the World.

But for God, there is never turning His back. He is constantly thinking about us, His children and His ultimate plan. How does He feel when He watches His plans unfold ? How does He feel when He watches the pain and suffering unveil itself and the cries are so deep it moves the earth to its knees? How does God feel? One can only wonder and imagine how the God and Creator of all the earth must feel?

The character of God is love and everything He does is for love. The depths of that love I can imagine run so deep that it can’t possibly be met by the human soul. It would have to supercede any understanding of any human emotion we would ever experience. One can only imagine.

But I guess that is why God is God. He has always been God, always will be and HE remains true to who He is, the All powerful, All willing, ALL knowing, All exuberant, All trusting, All faithful God HE is. To know Him is to love Him, by human standards, but God is love!

Where this was supposed to go, I don’t know, but I just felt like pondering Him and this world’s position for just a moment. I realized something though, God can’t be explained and the depths of His purposes can’t be either. However, as humans we make the mistake that we can try to even comprehend His thoughts and ways. How foolish we are. But in a way, that is the great mystery and love affair that draws us that much closer and deeper to Him. May it never fail!

I guess in the end, that is why scripture tell us, “Be still and know He is God!”

Nite and Pray for Haiti.......

"Flying is for the Birds!" Learning to Deal With Empty Nest Syndrome- by Kimchi Blow

“Flying is for the Birds!”

Learning to Deal with Empty Nest Syndrome.

   Most birds can’t fly until their muscle structure has had time to develop completely. In the meantime, the nest becomes their entire world. Baby birds generally develop a psychological dependence which must be overcome. Their parents begin to teach their babies the importance of flying by remaining a short distance away from the nest during feeding. If the young birds are to survive, they must step away from the nest. More than likely, this means a few hard falls to the ground followed by a long trip back to the safety of the nest where the parents are there for security and more lessons to follow.

Eventually, all of this practice does teach the hatchling about the mechanics of flight. Falls to the ground become less and less as the hatchling learns to stretch its wings to eventually fly. Bird parents continue to encourage their offspring to leave the nest for longer periods of time. Some species actually adopt a tough love policy, leaving the fledglings alone to develop their own flying instincts.

There is something to be considered about the process of Mother Nature and birds learning to fly. As human parents we can definitely relate to the progression in our children. Recently, my oldest daughter left the nest to go live with her father. It was much sooner than I had anticipated but at the same time, I knew it was the right thing for her to do. The day she left was like going through a slow torture in my heart. My emotions were all over the place. Anxiety, doubt, fear, sadness, and hope were just some. It took everything I had that day to put her on a one way trip to Illinois, but somehow it happened.

At the airport, I kept seeing little girls with their mothers.  Memories of her being a toddler overwhelmingly came flooding back to me. The question I kept asking myself was, “Where did the time go?” Sixteen years have come and gone! It just didn’t seem possible that she would be graduating in another year and without me there to see it all unfold.  The plan was for her to be with me but as life circumstances would have it, my plans got foiled.

The airport speaker announced her flight number and the dreaded boarding call began. I just wanted to keep looking at her, studying every detail on her face, like I did the day she was born. I couldn't believe that she was truly all mine! There we stood before she boarded the plane,  myself holding back the tears and choking back the fear of letting go. She then reached over to comfort  me and asked, “You okay?”  I wanted to scream, “No, I am not!” Because the truth was, I wasn’t! My life was changing quickly before me and I couldn’t control it but somehow I had to accept and embrace it! But, why? Ironically, it was the same question that she had asked me over the years  when things in her life were spinning out of control.

So, why do we have to let go and let God at times? Why do we have to learn to trust Him with the issues of our hearts? Why do we have to let our children go one day? All of these questions are certainly pertinent, but are there any real answers? I think I could probably spend a life time trying to figure out the “why's” but instead I would rather just let God deal in that area. My human mind can’t even begin  to fully understand the deep wells of our hearts and how life somehow intricately  flows through each pumping vessel, giving us all the complex emotions that make us human.

It has been only a week now since that emotional farewell. I have had moments of peace and comfort . Also,  of complete grief. Mostly though, I am just walking through the process that thousand of parents go through when rearing children, the letting go part. That is in fact the ultimate goal, isn’t it? From their birth to the point they leave the nest, it is about getting them to that place of independence. It starts when they are toddlers with walking away from you and progresses over the years to almost not needing you at all.  Who knew it would hurt as much as it does? I remember leaving home myself as a young adult. There was a sense of adventure and independence I was gaining. I had a “Nothing can stop me now!” attitude. Not once, did I ever stop to think about what my parents could be possibly feeling. As life would have it, here I stand as a rite of passage , a parent, experiencing the cycle of life.

Looking back on my childrens' childhood I am grateful that I have had so many wonderful ,  precious memories. I still have 3 at home and lucky me, I get to do this saga again! Each one of my children is so unique and hold promises of exciting things ahead. It is a blessing to witness daily the miracle of life complete itself.  Children in the end are the biggest teachers, aren’t they? They have taught me a lot about life , myself, my strengths and more so my weaknesses. I am grateful for the lessons learned and the ones still to come.

I know it has only been a short time since I have entered into this new chapter as a parent, but I am facing it like I try to face most things, with vigor, hope and perseverance. Kayla will be back one day and I am looking forward to the new role I will play in her life. I am still her mother, but there is another level of intimacy still to experience. I may not be there for her every heart break or to greet her in the morning before her day begins, but I believe I am with her where it counts the most, in her heart and mind.

The Word of God tells us to train a child in the way they should go, and they shall not depart from it.(Proverbs 22:6) By faith, I have to believe that I did the best I could with the time I was given with all my children. I am sure there will be days she will feel lonely in life and maybe even hopeless, but my prayer is that the she will remember what her mother did in her times of trial. She cried out to the Lord for strength.

As parents, we only want to see our children prosper. We want to see them be the people God created them to be. Sometimes that may not look like what we had planned for them but again, we have to trust the greater parent at work here, the Heavenly One. God knows their end from the beginning. He had my children in mind before the foundations of this world were ever set in place. He loves them more then I could even dare to imagine to. In the end, they were a loan from Him, the investment was high but I know the dividends will pay off later. Like life, parenting is a journey with many twists and turns and sometimes even hidden detours, but we can be assured that the journey is worth it.  I leave you with this encouragement,  be confident  of this, one day when the time comes for your child or children to get  on that airplane, have peace in knowing, they too will fly!......by Kimchi L. Blow

Small Steps Lead to Promise!

Happy Friday Everyone!
There is something about Friday's that make you feel happy and excited!  Maybe it is the promise of some much needed rest after a long grueling week of work.  Or maybe it is the time you are anticipating spending with a friend or loved one.  Whatever it is, Friday seems to be the universal day of smiles!

As we go into the weekend, I pondered what this week has been like for myself.  As some of you may know, at the beginning of this week, I watched my oldest daughter get on a plane to go live with her dad permanently.  It was in fact, one of the HARDEST things I have ever had to do.  A whirlwind of emotions were stirring inside, anticipation, sadness, grief, anger, hope, you name it!  But the one that stood out the most to me was HOPE.  I have learned to keep HOPE before me in my life because it is the one thought that keeps me in motion. Meaning, it keeps me motivated to move on to brighter days ahead.

It was a STEP of faith for me to send her away because I didn't know for sure and still don't know the end result.  I can only HOPE for the best and wait for it with anticipation and with perseverance as I wait for the promise of God to move across her life.   In the book of Roman's in the bible it states in Chapter 8:24 , " But if we hope for what we do not see with perseverance, we will wait for it eagerly.

Perseverance is key.  We must be willing to work towards that hope, push past normal circumstances or overwhelming feelings to get to that which we are hoping for.  I was thinking about Joshua in scripture and how he too had to take a small step of faith towards hope.  If you read Chapter 3 of Joshua, you see that God commands him to crossover the Jordan River.  Well, it was not a small feat in the least.  The Jordan River at harvest time was at flood stage, but yet God was requiring not only Joshua to cross over the river but for him to lead the whole nation of Israel.  Can you imagine the responsibility and pressure he was feeling?

If you read the rest of Chapter 3, you will see that as Joshua prepared the Israelite 's for this challenge , he was looking to the Lord for His provision, including God in His plan.  He had the Israelite 's consecrate themselves, in other words, "Pray up people!"  As Joshua and Israel began to cross over,  the waters were raging past them but with no fear, Joshua took one step into those fierce waters and a remarkable thing happened, the waters from upstream stopped flowing and piled up.  This was a miracle!  God had been faithful to Joshua's obedience.  Joshua and the Israelite's crossed over into the Promise Land that day! Joshua's hope persevered!

What are the lessons of this story that are pertinent to hope and to our lives?  First of all, in order to have hope, you must be willing to persevere and wait for it, work towards it.  Joshua held the hope for the nation of Israel that they would enter into a better land, a better life ahead.  Secondly, Joshua took his faith and put it into motion. More importantly here is that Joshua was being obedient to what God asked of him, which is the 3rd point. Of course he was scared and he did not have all the answers, but he knew he didn't have to.  He had to trust God with the result, which is the final lesson, trust has to be activated.
Let's review:
1-Hope
2- Faith
3-Obedience
4- Trust
These were the same characteristics I had to display in my daughter's situation.  I had the hope that her life would be fulfilled with the promises God had for her, but I had to put that faith into action and be obedient to what I felt God was requiring of me that day.  In the end, I had to trust God that this was the best thing for her and I.

Life is never easy and we will have our trials, but if we learn to have hope, it can lead the way to promise!
What is iT that God is asking you to have hope with today? Are you willing to persevere to wait for that promise that awaits?

Romanns 5:4-5  " We also rejoice in our suffering because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character and character hope! And hope does not disappoint us because God poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given to us.

Have a HOPE filled Friday!!!