This is My HOPE Story

Hello!

This is my story…of hope…

I can’t remember a time when I did not believe in God. I knew and I felt Jesus walking beside me everywhere I went. He was my best friend and I loved to talk with him. I believed my life had purpose and I could trust God.

As a result of some significant disappointments in my life, I began to question God. It didn’t feel like God meant what He said and he didn’t seem to keep His promises. I wondered why I should listen and obey a God who didn’t care about me or my hopes. I felt like my dreams had died and something on the inside of me had died along with them.

BUT! God met me right where I was in this place of disappointment. While I had been choosing to ignore the voice of God, He got my attention by speaking to me in an audible voice. I had never before and I have never since heard God speak so clearly. God spoke to me of the promises he had made to me during my childhood. He made it clear that He had not forgotten what He had said and that he would keep his promises. I felt the love of God in that place and a spark of fresh hope.

As God began to heal my heart, I began to really listen to God’s voice… learning all over again how to hear him speak. I realised He cared about me so much more than I ever originally knew or imagined.

Since then, I’ve walked through pain and disappointment. I have lost family members and dear friends to cancer, I’ve grieved relationship breakdowns and the pain of circumstances I never thought I would face. I have overcome debilitating chronic migraine and even now as I am walking out of a chronic back condition, I can truly say that God has been right beside me, holding my hand, listening to my cares and my hopes, leading me and guiding me with His wisdom and cheering me on. And through it all my hope and faith in God only grows stronger and I am living the hopes and dreams that God promised in my childhood.

It is my joy to talk with God and pray for people around me. One of my favourite questions for God… and also sometimes one of the scariest… is:

“Is there anything you would like my friend to know?”

I am often overwhelmed by the intensity of the love that God has for people and astounded by the words that he gives me to share with them.

What about you?

Do you ever talk to God? Maybe you have also heard God speak to you…

Or maybe you wonder if there even is a God to hear the thoughts you send his way?

Or maybe you believe in God, but you aren’t sure that he cares about you and your hopes and dreams and disappointments?

God wants you to know that He loves you.

He has a hope and a good future for you.

He cares and wants to be with you through the joys…

… and through the disappointments of your life.

Why not try talking to God today? He is listening and has lots to say.

Not sure where to start? I would love to pray with you!

Prayer:

 Father I thank you that you are listening.

 I thank you that you have a hope and a good future for every one of us.

 I ask that you would give us the courage to be honest with you about the things that are concerning us today.

 I thank you that you do answer our prayers.

 I ask that you would help us to feel your love and your care today.

 Help us to know you more each day.

 Amen.

And if you know God already…

 Are you ready to share your story?

How He has brought hope into your life.

I have been thinking about Revelation 12:11:

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.

And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

God has done a great work of hope in your life.

Why not share it with others today?