HOPE -FILLED LIFE!

Hope---as an acronym or acrostic?? Does the linguistics matter?

Regardless of the etymology for hope; hope involves wait.

Think a positive expectancy even in difficult situations. Optimistic!

Note "holding" as verb (Present Participle/Gerund) indicates an on-going action. That's what hope is......on-going!

As I often say.......Enough said!

WARBLING WEDNESDAY!

🎶 🎶 Singing along with my ear worm at Deep Creek. 🎶 🎶 

Joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5) 

This very morning with a little toe tapping as well!

This is my story, This is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

What JOY!

Think......Echoes of mercy, whispers of love...@ EVERY TURN!

CHOOSE JOY!

JOY is a choice!

Joy of heart changes perspective.

Feeling battered by life's circumstances; joy can brighten your spirit.

Joy no matter what!

A joyful heart is good medicine, (Proverbs 17:22)----the best RX!

Choose joy as a way of looking at life.

Former neighbor, Art, corrected me when I labeled my fence as rotting.

He dubbed it weathered. He saw the beauty in it and took a photo, a needed reminder which I keep in my prayer room.

Gladness of heart, regardless = JOY!

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER!

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAY............................

So grateful for this day designated by US Congress when our country observes  a time for our people to turn to God in prayer and meditation. Memorable times for me have been in the pews at FEC, around the flag pole with students at Houston High School and at a cathedral in Albuquerque, NM with Okie Dokie and CharChar.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NASB)

Above fave verse for focus on this National Day of Prayer!

WAIT AND WATCH WITH HOPE!

May this 4th Sunday of advent renew our hope in the One who is to come.

Waiting and Watching for the One who is to come!

Maranatha!

HOPE SPEAKS

Hope speaks in many languages.....but Morse Code was a first for me!

A gold necklace with hope in Morse code.

A gift of HOPE from Susan and Aubry......a reminder to be worn to help me "Rejoice in Hope." (Romans 12:12a)

H

O

P

E

.... ---  .--.  .

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13)

Lord use this beautiful "gift of hope" as a "A lead-in to gospel conversations." 

KEEP GLOWING!

Keep glowing! (Romans 12:11)

"Why?".....you might ask.

So others might see the beauty of Jesus in you. 

How does one keep glowing?

Pastor Scotty Smith offers an answer. Allow the Lord to turn your whimpers and whines into wonder and worship! (11/1/24)

For me, I must keep reminding myself to keep glowing. Often that means having Scripture at hand (from our breakfast bar to the refrigerator door) as I begin my day. 

Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.......(Romans 12:11, MSG)

The verse might start with a negative comparison, Don't burn out but the the result is a positive allowing you to keep fueled and aflame, aka keep glowing! 

People abounding in hope keep glowing! (Romans 15:13)

FORECAST FOR COASTER OF EMOTIONS!

This past week my emotions have run the gamut....medical tests that involve a degree of risk in facing the unknowns. Wait Time of many unknowns yet to be revealed. Machine broken. 

Fears and heart flutterings. Longer than usual time for results to be procured. Favored results not received. 

Insurance hold ups to obtain further testing. 

Feelings fluctuate. But God in His love and mercy has been present.....

.....the "Feels Like Forecast" has the ups and downs of a Memphis thermometer in August. But God is there! The heat index is keeping us on our toes and God is there. Sometimes we anticipate the worst. Fear feels hot. But God is there. One of the worst days had me numb, as if not only unable to face consequences but unable to feel anything or even make decisions of where God's way will take me. Numbness is nuts for a Christian!

But God's Presence and the prayers of his people are the best Hope RX! 

Emotions now encouraged even though circumstances have not changed---I have, with His help & reminder from a dear friend to "choose joy."

Regardless of the forecast, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but

joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5, ESV)

HOPE /LOVE/FAITH

TRIAD OF VIRTUES IN ST. AUGUSTINE'S WORDS

Love gives us hope that one day we will see face to face the One who is love.

FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE ARE INTERTWINED!

It's His love we rely on. It's the core of our faith! (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Paul instructed his followers to be defined by love (John 13:34-35). 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

God is love. In Him we put our faith and receive hope.

HOPETIMIST!

How does one become a hope-timist? Is that even a word?

It is now, at least in my vocabulary.

H eals

O ur

P ainful

E xperiences

Where is this hope found? In God's Word---that's the obvious answer. But....sometimes we struggle even when we know the "right" answer.

For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from Him. (Psalm 62:5)

I wait for the LORD, my whole being, and in his word I put my hope.

(Psalm 130:5)

Hmmmmm---Another word jumped out as I was searching for hope.

WAIT! 

I don't always wait well! But God in His love and mercy showed me what to do while I wait. Help others find hope.

H elps

O ther

P eople

E veyday

May I be a true hope-timist and help others as I wait.

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2024!

May today, January 1, 2024 be a blessed beginning to 2024!

As the City of Hope declares this 1st day of 2024, "A lovely day for hope." 

For me, that includes spiritual as well as physical, undergirded by Romans 15:13.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

GRACE-FORGED FRIENDSHIP DAY!

In our culture there are days for everything, even food! 

January 12-Hot Tea Day. January 26-Peanut Brittle Day.

April 5-Caramel Day. 

June 10-Iced Tea Day. July 1-Pecan Pie Day.

October 28-Chocolate Day. 

Yesterday was National Lemon Meringue Pie Day.

You get the idea---or at least an idea of those I celebrate "in the flesh."

What about more significant days for believers???

Scotty asked, "When is "Grace-Forged Friendships Day?" 

EVERYDAY! 

It makes everyday "gospel-icious." (Cole Huffman) especially as we desire to age gracefully. 

"A gospel-posse." (Scotty)  Dynamic Duo. Terrific Trio. A Quad Squad.

Christians on the same side of the struggle. (Ellen)

Believers who have been there, i.e. experienced that, can offer deep understanding, like-minded prayers and comfort so one does not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:16) 

A Fellowship of Believers' Day......

.....grace-forged with hope-filled prayers.(Romans 15:13)

FRIDAY FOCUS: A REFOCUS !!!

Anyone having trouble with focus?

Is it a physical condition? Mind? Spiritual? All the above?!

Whatever the reason, I'm sill dealing with it! 

Living without focus is like living in a gray world! Think cataract surgery needed.

I know where to go....God's Word. Embarrassingly enough, while I'm there I can easily begin planning supper or lack there of said plan. ARGGG!

Focus? Surely focus + focus + focus = REFOCUS

 

Growing weary outwardly this past week with my "distracted" mind malady, I asked Him to renew me inwardly day by day....with a spiritual refocus. 

A focus of hope-filled trust (Romans 15:13) and firmness of stance. (1 Corinthians 15:58) 

It was not a "one and done" attempt.

However, this acceptance of the need to refocus calmed my heart and filled me with hope.

BAPTISM!

BAPTISM!

What a day! What a thrill!

Martin, came to his mama and told her he had Jesus in his heart. 

In his own way, he asked her if he could be baptized. He had witnessed his sister's baptism. 

Also, through his Sunday School at Bellevue Baptist and BSF classes he had learned what that meant.

It was his way of telling others that he had invited Jesus Christ into his heart. A public testimony of his faith.

My prayer for Martin today, "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)

BAPTISM!

What a day! What a thrill!

LENS ON LIFE!

Paul David Tripp said it well. Prayer calls one to abandonment and submission. Abandonment of present day reality of self as the only "lens" perspective of life is too prevalent. Submission to Christ requires us to let go of "our" momentary agendas and to be committed to take up His view of eternal hope. 

God cares about our present life---with us, for us and in us.(New Morning Mercies, January 28)

What prepositions for life! But God....goes beyond. Lens that go beyond "the now" to see eternity. It's the "long view."

It's the view of life that opens a door beyond death. 

After four recent funerals, it's the "lens on life" in Christ, which brings hope! AMEN!

JOY! JOY!! JOY!!!

JOY to the World! How about JOY in the world!

Where does JOY begin? Years ago I learned that true JOY begins with Jesus. The Lord is our cup of blessing as He is always with us. JOY continues as we serve others well...as God loves us, by putting others before self. Self is last in the recipe for JOY. True JOY comes to us as we put Jesus and others first.

This acrostic has helped me remember that.

Jesus

Others

  Yourself

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

ABOUND IN HOPE

Yesterday's F.O.C.U.S. verse was Romans 15:13 as I was praying for a Ukrainian gal who is very much in need of the God of all hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so by the power of the Holy spirit you may abound in hope.

I also visited a widow lady at her new assisted living facility and there on her counter was Romans !5:13, in part. 

My Monday meditation had certainly included that but it even went beyond as I applied the F.O.C.U.S. formula. Because of my meditation time, I knew how to "fix my eyes on the unseen" part of the verse. Believing and abounding.

Beyond that it was like a blessing from the Lord...a God wink, of sorts from Bobbie's kitchen counter! Close to skywriting from above.

Needless to say. I am now abounding in hope for an answered prayer from Ukraine.

F-O-C-U-S

FOCUS on........God's Word everyday!

Acrostics can help me do just that. FOCUS!

TRUE COMFORT FOOD!

Comfort Food that usually goes in my mouth is "Sweet" in nature, sometimes chocolatey in texture. But.....How quickly it fades. So fleeting.

Words of comfort in Scripture are not so. They are lasting! Satisfying! 

Sweet as honeycomb......sweet to the Soul, and health to the bones! (Proverbs 16:24)

Grace-laced!

P.S. All that being said, we're headed to Pop's Comfort Food for lunch today because our larder is empty and we're too weary from travel to even shop.

CRACKED POT!

Beautiful Garden Pot. A pot with a history. It was given by sweet friend Julie, when she moved to DC & then on to Florida. A friend who joined with me in prayer for our terminal cancer friend, Claudia. It seems one of us was always with her even at the hospice center. That adds to the beauty of the pot.

Yet, there's another side....often hidden from view. A brokenness I've tried to keep hidden, since the Feb.'22 ice storm.....even though I know the beautiful story of its history.

Like me. A cracked pot. Rarely do I show my cracks. 

But God in his love and mercy....is close to me even when I am broken and crushed & choosing not to show my cracks.

He does not despise my brokenness. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

HALLELUJAH!