HOPE

Spring break is quickly coming to a close.  I was just wishing this morning as I was getting ready for church that this day was the first Sunday of spring break and I could have the week all over again.  So much for wishful thinking.   It has been an eventful week to say the least with the highlight of our daughter Danielle becoming engaged to Cody Bellamy.  We are blessed to have Cody join our large family  (which keeps getting larger).

So speaking of the family getting larger, about three years ago, we moved to this house and  had room for Darrell to have an office and two bedrooms for "guests".  All the kids were off to college and we were basically "empty nesters" .  Since no children had lived at this house during high school years, none of them had a claim on any of the rooms.  The rule of the land became, who ever arrived first, got their choice of rooms.  Well, one thing lead to another and to put is lightly, we have a revolving door of who is living at the house.  It continues to amaze us how God always knows exactly what we need before it presents itself. We needed this size of house.  Darrell has long since lost his office to another bedroom and we have to often confirm to see who has "checked in" for the night, week, or as a semi permanent resident.  With that all said, the three rooms upstairs needed an identity, just to keep it straight for those late night arrivals.

I got this hair brain idea to just name the rooms.  At first, I really thought about how at the White House, there is the Lincoln bedroom, Rose bedroom, Yellow Oval Room and East room to name a few and that I could come up with some names to resemble things about us. But as I thought about the purpose of the room and started to cast a vision for those "weary" travelers that might take refuge at our house, I chose names with significance and purpose.

Okay, I am sure you are asking yourself, "Who names their bedrooms".  I guess I have to answer with "I do". I dubbed them Faith, Hope and Love......and the greatest of these is Love (which is true of our rooms I Corinthians 13:13). I have intentionally decorated the rooms with  the message of each theme. So, when visitors have stayed, I try and place them (upon availability) in the room that I believe would minister most to them and their current needs. 

 I am thinking that the next couple of blogs will be on each of the themes of the bedrooms, Faith, Hope and Love. The last couple of days, I have been pondering on the word "hope" and how significant it is in our life.  Dictionary.com says hope is "to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence". So, I think for the most of us, we live our lives in a state of hope, not only for us personally but for our children, other family members and friends.  I guess you would say, having a vision, belief or desire for something to come to pass in the lives of loved ones. When we lose hope, emotionally, we will spiral down, like falling into a dark tunnel with the difficult task of trying to pull out.  Certainly, any of us can see that in the lives of people we know, many experiencing financial problems, unemployment, children difficulties, health issues etc.   Proverbs 13: 12 says "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing (desire) fulfilled is a tree of life."  So having hope in our lives drives us to live another day, fuels our sometimes empty tank of life, and keeps us looking for the goodness of tomorrow.  When we are hopeless, we are discouraged, dismayed and have no vision for the future which in turn lead to depression...that long lonesome road.  


Looking to the word of God on the topic of hope reaps a wealth of scriptures and strong encouragement for living daily. (the book of Romans is a great starting place)  As I looked at scripture passages, the one thread that I noticed was who should be our anchor or object of hope.  


1 Timothy 4: 10 say:

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 

Where the rubber meets the road, our hope should be grounded in God. As I have prepared the room, my heart's intent is that our guest in the Hope room would experience hope in God.  That they would  find peace in Him and encouraged to face another day, strengthened to put one foot in front of the other, having a heart of courage and hope. Two scriptures that line the walls are:

Isaiah 40:31

New International Version (NIV)

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint. 

Jeremiah 17:7

King James Version (KJV)

 ⁷Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

As you go along life, birthing forth hope, anchor it to God.  He doesn't disappoint. Spring forward with a new purpose and start for this Spring.

Blessings.