HOPE!

These past few days have been filled with many emails and phone calls requesting prayer for serious problems and real crises occurring in so many lives. It is very difficult to "set my mind on things above" when the things of this earth are painfully serious and gravely stressful.

Although the requests are too many to recount some of the ones that really got to me are listed here:

Baby Hodges, who is due in November, has been diagnosed with SMA and his big brother died this past January of the same horrible disease.

Persecuted Christians in China.

A friend from Sunday School has colon cancer.

Another friend who is pregnant discovered her husband has been unfaithful.

Financial struggles, custody battles, illness, injury, marriage discord and many other trials and tribulations.

As believers, how do we cope with pain and sorrow and not become despondent, bitter, or complacent about the tragedies and concerns of this world?

As I prayed this evening, the Lord reminded me of the answer to this question...

H..........O...............P...............E..................

That's right, we have HOPE!

So I asked myself, what does HOPE mean to me? The Lord gave me this acronym:

HAVING AN
OPTOMISTIC
PERSPECTIVE ON
ETERNITY

No matter how discouraging this sad, sick world looks and no matter how bad the news and events of our lives are.......we are not a people without HOPE! Having an optimistic perspective on eternity, being very sure of my heavenly home, and knowing what the final outcome will be when the final story unfolds, the only choice I have is to face tomorrow with HOPE!

Thank you, God, that you give me HOPE and as the scriptures say, "Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12