31 Days of Hope - October 19

As we HOPE for a change in our circumstances, it can be difficult to remember how greatly we are loved. We may feel so alone and, at times, so sad. Yet, if we just focus on this Scripture...

Now these three remain:

faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

The greatest of these is love. Dear one - you are loved. You are loved by the One who is love - God. 

Sometimes this is hard to accept. We may feel that we are being punished for some great sin we have committed or that we are unlovable. I remember feeling that way many days when I was deep in the healing process. Even now, there are days when the pain comes and I wonder why God has forgotten me? Why is He punishing me? We mustn't forget Job! His afflictions were purely spiritual warfare going on around him. We don't know what's happening in the Spiritual world but we know that something is happening all the time - all around us. I believe by reading the Scriptures, that those of us who are believers in Christ have warfare being fought for us all the time. What greater thing for the evil one than to discourage or even turn God's children? He's not interested in those that already follow him - he's interested in those he doesn't have. 

There are three things that are powerful as we go through our difficult times - Faith, HOPE, and Love. We need all three to form a powerful rope that can't be broken when times of trouble come. One strengthens the other and they each build one another up. They do the same for us. We get strength from each of these. Our faith in Jesus is the cornerstone and our HOPE and love is built on Him for, without Him, there is nothing. 

God bless you - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 13

Do you have areas of your life that you want to do better in? I do. Several, in fact! As we become closer to God, He reveals areas of my life that need to be refined. This is not always comfortable! in fact, it can be downright painful. Realizing that you've been doing things that are not pleasing to God, is difficult. These things usually hurt you, too, so that's why God is revealing things.

May Your faithful love rest on us, Yahweh,

for we put our hope in You.

Psalms 33:22

As we work on these things, God is so faithful to love us. As we work on things we want to change, we have the HOPE that God is giving us the ability to be strong in changing these things. He equips us to do the things we want and need to do.

I have struggled with one issue in my life, for most of my life. I grew up not feeling that I was okay the way I was. My personality was questioned constantly and compared to others in the family that fit in better. I was always a child that loved to read and write and this wasn't understood well by others in my family. You start to doubt yourself and question if there is something wrong with you. Then this manifests itself into thinking that everyone is thinking these things about you! Oh, my - what a mess this is! 

I am working on not believing these things anymore. I am HOPEFUL that I will not project these feelings onto my friends and family when it's not at all what they are thinking! This is difficult when you've done it your whole life. I'm doing good, though! The key is to love others as you love yourself. To love others as Christ loved us. I've loved others, but I've been so careful not to get hurt, I haven't love them as fully as I should have. I don't open my heart too far because I don't want it to get stomped. However, in doing this, I keep the full love from others out, too! Pretty silly, but we always want to protect our hearts, don't we? 

I have HOPE that I can open up more, expect the best out of others instead of the worst, and to have the love from others that I long to have. In the process, I want to love others fully, too! Isn't it wonderful that God can equip us to do this? What a wonderful God who fills me with HOPE!

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 12

Some of us have been so blessed to have a Daddy who loves us. Unfortunately, there are those of us who haven't had a Daddy who cared about us like we would have liked. I'm one of the fortunate ones. My Daddy loved me and still does! I am his little girl, even though I'm 53 years old! I remember one time I said to him, "Dad, I'm not your little girl anymore!" He got this funny look on his face and said, "You'll always be MY little girl!" When I think of this now, it brings tears to my eyes because it's so true and it makes me feel so loved!

This is my Daddy and I when I'm about three years old - GOSH - 50 years ago!! Okay - we didn't need to go there!

I always felt secure with my Daddy. I was never afraid as long as he was around.

Normally, I would have been afraid to be on this ski lift, but I was with my Dad, so all was okay!

Here we are in our front yard. It must be early Spring because there's still snow on the ground behind us. We're obviously going somewhere special because we're both dressed nice. lol

There was nothing better than snuggles with my Daddy. My Dad was "old school" so he didn't show his emotions a lot, but he would do more so with me.

I always wanted to be like my Daddy. He read a lot so I did, too. He was, and is, my hero.

The Lord is like my Daddy. He cares about us and makes us feel safe. He loves us unconditionally and we will always be his children - even when we're 53 or older! God wants us to long to be like Him and I do long for that. I want to be more and more like Jesus every day. I never will be like Jesus but I pray I can love and care for others as He does.

Even if you didn't have a Dad like mine, you have a Father in heaven who loves you more than anything! That is really what our HOPE is all about. Being able to trust in our heavenly Father, knowing that He loves us so much and will never leave us. I pray that you will have that HOPE in your life!

Blessings - Julie