Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 in a word

Photo credit:  Cindee Snider Re

I decided one day, in 2012, to mark the forward year with one word.

I had such a hard time coming up with just one.  But then I sought the One and God's word for me was...

Hope.

I resolved to learn everything about hope.

Everyday I prayed over the word hope.  I prayed hope.

Daily, hope was on my mind.  Hope was a part of my conversations with God.

Hope was spoken with Holy.

Holy hope was spoken to me.

....Holy Hope was spoken to me.  

Can I just stop....tell you how much I adore how God works a word in our hearts?

By speaking hope, God defined hope in so many ways....by His character.  Hope defined, spoken, shown, revealed, and assimilated into my life.

Hope matters and is endless.

Hope is my anchor.  Hope speaks firm, secure.  Hope begins and ends.  Hope goes ahead of us, hope comes alongside, and is our rear guard.  Hope surrounds.  Hope is moving and active in my being.  

Hope in a word is Jesus.  Embrace Hope.

Jesus is the hope of this world, Jesus is hope.  Hope is what this hopeless world needs.  

Do you need some hope today?  Did this year turn out like you thought it would?

Do you know that God hopes for you?  God has high hopes for you, God has given us all the Hope we need.  Hope is enough.

Hebrews 6:19 20a ~ "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters the inner sactuary behind the curtain, where Jesus who went before us has entered on our behalf."

Hope is a promise, God promises Hope.  God keeps his promises, always forever.

Did you catch that?  ... Hope is!  We have....Hope.  We have this hope as a steadfast, firm foundation, a secure footing.  We have security, safety, rescue, and refuge.  Hope is our safe place.  Our hiding place, our place is hope.  Hope has a place for us.  Hope speaks life into our unspoken parts, it tethers our hearts to truth.  

Hope saves.  Hope is eternal.

Hope is born.  Hope is with us.

From the storms of my heart to the shores of India, Africa, Louisiana and Canada...Brazil and Honduras...

....I have seen hope.  Hope has no borders, and trust will always show you new faces of hope.

Hope wins.  Hope frees slaves.  Hope opens the eyes of the blind.  Hope has opened the eyes of my soul.

Many things, many memories of this year are now apparent about hope.  There is so much hope.  And oh so many facets of hope.  Hope remembers the goodness of God.  Hope reminds me of Holy Hope.  Hope gently teaches and is my treasure.

Hope....what a gift!   Heavenly hope...

Hope answers prayers.  Hope answers.  Hope is the answer to this world.  

Hope is the answer you are looking for today.  I have seen so many depths of Hope.

If you don't know Jesus, please don't let another hopeless day pass without taking hope inside your heart.  I honestly don't know how a person can live without hope.  It's my lifeline, my anchor, my all, my hope.

Hope is Jesus, and something to hold high and holy.  Hope is real, alive and active.  Hope is something to cling to like a strong hold in your soul.  Hope feeds.  Hope heals.

Hope is my soul's source of strength.  Hope is teaching me to soar, such beautiful hope.

Holy Hope.. it is now my heartbeat, as I hold dear, Hope's breath.  


Dear God...may we embrace Hope, deepen our hope.  “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” ― A.W. Tozer

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