Hope Victorious

“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices” - My favorite lyric of all Christmas songs.   Hope – a whisper, distant and quiet. A delicate thread with an imperceptible pull.   This is not the end The best is yet to come I’m going to be ok It IS working… Don’t give up! I’m stronger than I think Nothing is impossible with God These truths seem small at first, but as I give them my attention, my full gaze, and hold on - The pull intensifies - I am moved from weariness into greater life. It’s not too late You are making a difference Look at how far you’ve come Never give up There is an uprising of hope.   Possibility – Potential Maybe there is more Perhaps it is better than I can see right now And that thread of hope becomes a life line.   It moves me from weariness, discouragement and sorrow into hope, gratitude and wonder. A thrill of hope, my weary soul rejoices. I give thanks.   I celebrate. And then I choose to continue even while weariness still cling

Life has grown up from the ruins of my past.   The barren places, once torn and broken, have been repaired and I find that I am restored.   The ashes of what I lost, once covered me in shame.   The remnant of my pain clung to every surface, penetrated every crevice. A future, once bright with hope, was dull and without light.   Love called to me in my devastation and invited me to be comforted.   I heard it in the acceptance of dear friends, who tenderly peeled back the layers to find me.   I felt it in the peaceful rest I experienced in worship.   The truths I heard of this God were so different than what I had learned all those years ago.   I had known God to be a tyrant, angry and accusing.   I feared the shame of him, for I had fallen short.   I had left my home, run from my past and from this burden of a standard too high to ever meet. But now this was confronted with love that was tender and true.   My hardness was met with compassion and patient understanding.   There were