hope lives!

You can find hope in many situations, big & small.

I’ve become to see both hope & grace nearly everyday. Just the simple fact that I’m still alive is a sign grace, looped in with hope. Think about it, how many of us actually “deserve” to live. We’ve all sinned. It’s part of human nature, & in God’s eyes all sins are equal. That one cross word that you said is the same as if you killed someone. God forgives & shows us His love. Which is a hope for those of us that know Him, for if we know Him, we’ll get to spend eternity with Him. What a way to spend eternity! There’s no other place I’d rather spend it!!! I’ve also come to see a strong sense of hope growing in a small area of my community, this area consists of a room filled with around twenty people every Sunday. This place is a Sunday School Room. A man in my parents’ Sunday School class has been diagnosed with cancer. I’ve never seen such a bond between a group of people. No matter how things have been going for this man, he’s shone the light of Jesus. Instead of others trying to be brave for him, the exact opposite is happening, HE-the man with cancer-is being brave for all these other families. Kagwira, my compassion child, has shown me so much hope as well. She’s told me how Compassion has helped her life change & how much she loves Jesus & what he’s done for her as well. This gives me a hope for a better future for her & her community, if she can reach out to one other person & them to another, can you imagine what would happen in that community in Kenya!? WOW! I’m not sure if I should continue on or if you understand the concept of “hope” yet.

Hope-

Finally, I remember just a few months ago. I knew God, I knew who He was, what He did, all of that. & I knew He was real. Yet I wasn’t submitting to Him, whether it be pride, or I just didn’t want to. Whatever the reason I just wasn’t submitting to Him. This summer Louie Giglio came & spoke at BigStuf camp & rattled my world. I realized what it was that I’d been doing, & that I wasn’t doing what God called me to do. Now I’m hoping to go on two mission trips next summer (one to Ecuador & one to Kosovo). I’ve begun to get genuinely excited about church & digging into God’s word. I’ve even had people tell me that they have noticed some changes going on in my life. THIS is my hope that God is changing me. Revealing His plan to me. Guiding me. Teaching me. & most importantly, using me to help bring others to know him.

more info: a paper i wrote for English on the subject that ended up on the HEY JACK RADIO site!!