Dare To Hope

There is most likely an awful time in each of our lives that we will never forget. As humans, we experience happiness and joy, pain and sorrow, laughter and tears. It is often during those painful times where we feel trapped in darkness, left with no hope. There are battles people are facing behind closed doors...family members, coworkers, friends, etc that we often may not know anything about. Vulnerability is hard. It can be hard to let people into difficult times with us, but it is so, so worth it. Recently, I felt compelled to share with a friend one of the battles that I face and it just so happened that she could relate. It was a relief to simply know that I wasn't alone in this fight; that someone else gets it and has walked in my shoes. And, if you have no battles to fight...then good for you, please pray for those of us who do ;)

On top of the world, so it felt 

Lamentations 3:20-23

“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

Jeremiah speaks of a dark, dark time in his life. He was overwhelmed with sorrow and grief. His entire life felt like it was engulfed in darkness, yet he still dared to hope. He dared to hope in the Lord. For some time, I have watched a friend go through an incredibly difficult and dark time in her life. In the midst of this darkness I also watched her hope in the Lord and place her trust in Him. Like Jeremiah, she dared to hope. She dared to trust God despite her circumstance and her pain. She invited Him into these broken spaces and trusted in His faithful love. I have also had the opportunity to watch her experience the fruit of choosing to place her trust in the Lord. 

Bridal shower shenanigans

We all look to something for hope...but we have to ask if what we are placing our hope in is strong enough to carry and sustain us through dark and difficult times. Hope is an anchor for our souls and what we are placing our hope in has to be strong. Friends and family are great, but they are simply not strong enough to fill us and sustain us. I have walked with my friends through some trenches and they have walked with me, but none of us are strong enough to carry each other. We can be there for each other...listen, pray, cry, laugh, etc...but we cannot carry eachother. I have learned there is only One strong enough to carry me through the trenches of life. Jesus.

Even when it’s hard and I try to take matters into my own hands, I dare to hope in the One who holds my world. I remember a season of my life years ago where I could barely get out of bed in the morning. I was depressed and anxious a majority of the time, but hope remained the anchor of my soul. Hoping that one day, some how everything would be okay. And no, it didn’t happen overnight. It was a process of walking and sometimes fighting towards a place of freedom. Freedom from the things that so easily weighed me down. I dared to hope and dared to put my trust in God. Remembering Gods faithful love is enough to cause us to hope!

xoxo,

Beth

Gone skiing - winter 2018!