“Yet I still dare to hope”

Lamentations 3:21

Have you ever been in a season of life where crummy things keep happening? Can you still dare to hope in these circumstances?

I had always hoped to get married, thinking it would happen soon after high school, then college, and finally Bible School (after all, it is called Bridal School, isn’t it?). However, it didn’t happen. While my friends were getting married and starting families, that wasn’t the case for me. After a difficult breakup, I moved back home across the country due to my mental health struggles. As my late twenties approached and I was still single, I began to lose hope.

In Lamentations 3:19-39, we see Jeremiah in an imperfect situation. He is facing suffering, homelessness, and loss. But, he still chooses to have HOPE! Why?!? Because of the “unfailing love of the Lord” (vs.22); because of His great faithfulness, and new mercies each morning (vs. 23); because “the Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him” (vs. 25); because “He does not abandon anyone forever” (vs31); because “though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love” (vs. 32); and because “He does not like hurting people or causing them sorrow” (vs. 33).

Jeremiah knows God intimately, he knows God’s character. He knows nothing happens without the Lord’s permission (vs. 37). So, even when things really suck, God is still who He says He is. He is still good, compassionate, loving, faithful, merciful, and wonderfully good! And in those miserable times, even when we no longer dare to hope, “He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who he is” (Timothy 2:13 NLT).

One day, about a year after I had moved home, I was at church listening to a sermon on prayer. I honestly don’t remember much of what was said, but it was a message of hope. It reminded me of who God is and that he listens to his children and knows the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). I dared to HOPE again. Hope that God had chosen the right man for me, hope that he knew my desire to get married and would give me that, and hope that he is good no matter what.

So I prayed, and I dared to hope, and I waited. Not long after, I met my wonderful husband, whom I have been married to for over 10 years.

So, let’s dare to hope! No matter what we are facing today, let’s choose to believe God is who he says he is… we can put our hope in that every single day!

“So, let’s dare to hope! No matter what we are facing today, let’s choose to believe God is who he says he is.”

When Grace Becomes Gratitude

“Whoever hears my words and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

John 5:24

This verse was on the wall when my Dad was in his final days here on earth. I’ve read these words numerous times before. But the last part of the verse: “he has crossed over from death to life” has so much more meaning to me now.

Here on earth, we look at it from the perspective that he is now dead, there is so much finality to that. But, this verse really changes the perspective on death. Here on earth is death; sin is in the world and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the earth is decaying. There is war, hatred, racism, sickness, and sadness. My Dad’s body and mind were dying from Parkinson’s disease and Dementia.

Even in life’s fleeting moments and challenges, we hold on to profound hope and assurance. It is a hope rooted in God’s promise that when we die (physically here on earth), we pass from this dying world into eternal life. A life where everything is whole and good and new again, without the imperfections of this world. Where everything is restored to wholeness, goodness, and newness.

Revelations 21:4 reminds us that there will be no more tears or sorrows, where pain and suffering are unknown. That is life, not what we are living here today! This assurance brings us such comfort knowing that our present struggles are temporary, and there is an even greater life yet to come!

It is a hope rooted in God’s promise that when we die (physically here on earth), we pass from this dying world into eternal life.

When Grace Becomes Gratitude

Knowing my Dad is no longer suffering from the horrible effects of these diseases gives me so much peace, and even joy, in the midst of my grief. My Dad is one of the lucky ones… he is now fully alive… he has passed from death to life!

“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

Psalms 121:1-2

During my time at Bible School in my early twenties, I learned a valuable lesson about lifting my eyes up to the mountains, Jesus Christ, our solid rock.

Our leadership class went on a retreat to the amazing coastal town of Tofino, BC, Canada. Tofino, in my opinion, is among the most beautiful places on earth, with its breathtaking ocean view and lush rain forests. While there, we were treated to a whale-watching experience. Despite having gone whale watching before to catch a glimpse of orca whales, witnessing grey whales and humpbacks in their natural habitat for the first time was very exciting for me!

A little bit of backstory… I have a tendency to get motion sickness. Like really bad motion sickness. I usually aim to sit in the front or middle seat of a vehicle so I can see where we are headed and avoid getting nauseous. When I ride on a train, I always make sure I am facing the direction the train is traveling. I don’t do rollercoasters. During my first whale-watching experience, all the seats were positioned facing the front of the boat. On this excursion though, the seats were facing out to the sides. I was fine on the way out to where the whales had last been seen, but then we stopped and were rolling with the waves.

Then I got sick. I “fed the fishes” as my friends so kindly put it (meaning I puked multiple times over the side of the boat!). On our way back to the station, I remember our guide telling me to keep my eyes focused on the mountains and not the waves crashing around us. The mountains are unmoving, fixed, and solid. As long as I lifted my eyes to the mountains, I was ok. As soon as I looked away, another wave of nausea would hit.

In Matthew 14:25-31, Jesus calls Peter out of the boat to walk on the water with him. Peter went and walked on the water. “But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.” He took his eyes off of Jesus who is immovable, fixed, solid, and unchanging and he started sinking, just like a mountain on the horizon.

How true is this in our lives? As soon as we take our eyes off Christ and see the waves and turmoil and unknown swirling around us, it gets overwhelming and too much for us to handle. It can make us sick with anxiety and fear. We get drowned by the waves and troubles. But if we keep our eyes fixed on him, keep our eyes lifted up to the mountains, everything will be ok. The journey might still be rough and bumpy, but we can trust in him completely.

I am so thankful that God is unchanging and that we can keep our eyes fixed on him who is in control, and not on the circumstances around us. He is our Solid Rock. He made the heavens and the earth, and he will help us in our times of trouble. After all, he is the one who calms the sea (Matthew 8:24-27)

I am so thankful that God is unchanging and that we can keep our eyes fixed on him who is in control and not on the circumstances around us.

When Grace Becomes Gratitude