HOPE.

I hear the word and my ears perk up.

My heart flutters when I read anything with the word HOPE.

Because

I need HOPE.

More HOPE.

This is my journey to finding more HOPE.

For 3 years I have walked an intense battle. Every year more and more dark. Tear upon tear, my bottles of tears added up making the days seem long and the struggle intense.

Recently I came to a point. I had run out of HOPE.

I couldn’t find anymore.

I searched, I prayed…and prayed. Yet HOPE seemed distant- on the other side of the world.

Then through a miraculous story, the Lord brought me a sweet friend from another city. She looked me in the eye and said, “don’t give up HOPE.”

She saw it. She saw my fight to keep battling this trial was diminished.

But those words were healing as I began my journey to find HOPE in Jesus again.

Oh and the Lord didn’t disappoint. Day after day he has brought me HOPE.

A few weeks ago, while searching scripture I found an answer. I found how to get more HOPE.

HOPE comes from suffering. Not less, but MORE suffering. From suffering I gain perseverance, character and HOPE.

Yes HOPE.

And so in some way, some how I rejoice in these sufferings. Though I often fail, I try.

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. `Romans 5:1-5

It’s these words that carry me, that sustain me, and that fill with my heart with HOPE.

At the end of the day, I have “God’s love poured into my heart”

and I attempt to find deep contentment in his LOVE.

I hope to find victory in my suffering, yet every day the Lord is reminding me over and over of his faithfulness, goodness, and unconditional love.

And not only did the Lord give me verses to cling to, he gave me a song.

This song has become an anthem in my life. It lives on the cycle repeat because I want to hear these truths played over and over so I never forget…