You say “Goodbye”; I say “Hello”

10..9..8..7..6..5..4…3…2…1 Happy New Year!!!!  Wait! Am I ready for a new year? Am I ready for all that is expected of me? What about this or that? What if I drag my same 2017 problems into the “new” year? What if there is little “happy” to be found in 2018 and it feels “old” instead of “new”.  These holidays are tricky, right?

Am I the only one, who despite all of the doubts and questions, still also has this deep seated drive imbedded in me to hope for something new, something exciting (even if its just a new calendar)? That secret wish, that shy prayer, that glimmer of light welling up in my heart and head that this will be a good year. Well, that little spark was imbedded into your heart and head by the God of all hope and we want to flame that into a roaring fire this year. Don’t stop hoping, don’t stop praying, don’t stop dreaming, and don’t stop longing for something new and don’t you dare give up!

I wish I could be close enough to put my hand on yours and look into your eyes and tell you in my broken and sincerest voice…..the God of hope will not fail you! You may be going through the worst time of your life. You may just about to sink in frustration, hurt, anger, sickness or shame, but He has not forgotten you and you can dare to put your hope in Him. He is not a stranger to the exhausted, the weak and the worn out…even King David (the man after God’s own heart) got discouraged. Psalm 42 is the account of the sons of Korah wrestling through these same feelings. What was the remedy for their troubled heart?

“Why are you cast down O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.”  Psalm 42:11

Hope was the answer! So often we are tempted to misplace our hope. We hope that this person or this circumstance or this environment or even our own self will be different, but all of these are prone to disappoint us. The only place to securely rest our hope is in Jesus. Let me say this…He is powerful enough and He is more than able to effect change in any and all of our lives, but we must not think that He will change it all just to make us happy. He is after something so much better than happiness! He is after our true and lasting good because in that, He does what we really need and His plans are way bigger than we can even dream up.

Because we are friends, I want to let you in on a secret I know….this God we are talking about has hopes and dreams! Can you believe it? Have you ever thought of that? Don’t get cynical on me now. Don’t let the fears and disappointments crop up and question His goodness and that reality. Just hang with me and over the course of this new month of January, we are going to explore this thought. “What does God hope for?”

In the meantime, I want to share with you a hope I have for you and me and this blog. It’s rooted in Psalm 45 and I have absolutely no power to make it happen. I’m choosing to put my hope in Jesus and despite all my apprehensions, I am trusting Him to do something good!

All the KING’S Daughters ~ Psalm 45

In varied colored robes they gather at the Throne

From far and wide they have all been summoned Home

Previously scarred and wounded; beaten down and worn

Yet now, as fully healed and completely restored

United in title and equally beloved

Dressed in the Gold of Ophir and crowned from above

A joyous day to celebrate; for Freedom is here

No longer do they sit in the shadows or tremble in fear

Before they even know it, a song begins to swell

Their hearts overflow and their tongues, like a scribe must tell

For they have seen Him and nothing can prohibit,

The overwhelming adoration and the praise without limits

He is the fairest among the sons of men, His right arm is power

He rides out for His bride and at His arrows the enemy must cower

He smells divine like all heavenly aromas combined

Their shoulders straighten, their chins are lifted

For at His voice, oh His voice…they are gifted

With the words their souls have yearned to hear

“Come, my beloved, to your King draw near!”

All the King’s daughters join hearts and hands

Encompassed in a cloud of witnesses, encircled in His plan

Their gaze and steps all seem to unite

As they walk in grace, yet confidently toward the One that has won the fight

Their sons will tell the story and their girls will join the ranks

Nations of peoples will know the Lord and to His great Name give thanks.

Selah