Planning a New Hope

  Soaring with the Eagles After Being Knocked Down But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 KJV After a time of grieving the unspeakable tragedy, the traumatized woman commented, “I don’t know how to get up.” Be it through our own actions or the actions of another, life is tough, so, after being knocked down, how do you get up?             This past Monday morning while praying and trying to make sense of what had happened over the weekend and how to proceed, the following scripture came to mind:             For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11           ...

    Three Thoughts about Finding Hope in 2022 While still in our twenties, a friend said to me, “I thought that one day I’d have all the answers and my problems would be solved.” This was also my belief.             Life’s not a fairy tale where one day you get the girl, or the glass slipper fits and then ride off into eternal happiness. Instead, life’s full of ups, downs, curves and sometimes it’s messy. While grappling with my own ups and downs at the beginning of 2022, three realities about hope and hopelessness became clear to me. Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you Isaiah 41:10 (New American Standard Bible)   It was the beginning of 2022. The changes since my move to a new area of Houston four years before were causing me to feel untethered and adrift with no understanding as to what to do. When prayer...

  When Shouts of Ho, Ho, Ho and Merry Christmas Make You Feel Sad   Have the well wishes of the holidays, the music, and twinkling lights ever made you want to close your eyes and hold your ears? It’s easier, and more socially acceptable to paste a smile on your face while wishing for a sabbatical from life with the ability to return when the holidays are over. I’m not being cynical or sacrilegious, but the reality is that problems can make this time of year difficult. What to do? First, I urge those whose hearts are hurting to realize you’re not alone and to be kind to yourself.             We may need our own space and a break:   Years ago, I was asked to play for a wedding for a couple I had never met. All I knew was that the mother of the bride was flying in and the father was attending with his wife. The night of the rehearsal, the bride’s mother hung out with me. My suspicion was she used this time and spa...

  Daring to Step Out into a New Opportunity   Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you, Surely, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isiah 41:10 (New American Standard Bible)   While sitting on the deck of the ship, I marveled at the awe-inspiring sight of the Greek Isle, Santorini.   While experiencing the breath-taking views, past troubling thoughts about this trip played out in my mind.             During the lunch outing, one friend turned to another and explained that I was getting ready to go on a cruise to Greece and Rome.             “Oh, that’s a trip of a lifetime,” she exclaimed. To which I replied, “But I don’t want to go. I am so scared.” Why wouldn’t anyone not want to avail themselves to such a wonderful opportunity? In...

  Commit Your works to the Lord, And your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3 (New American Standard Bible)   Sometimes Life Seems So Unfair NOTE: This is not a post directed at someone who is in the midst of dealing with profound grief.             It was a dark rainy day and my mood mirrored the weather. Bowed down with feeling disconnected, sadness over a loss, wishing I had children and those bonds and ties, I took to my chair to pray and try to figure out how to get out of this glum state.             Some people might say I was having a pity party. Call it what you want, but often we need to be honest about what’s happening in order to find a resolution. While I knew that I have much for which to be thankful, what I possessed didn’t abate that profound sense of desolation exacerbated by the sense I couldn’t do anything about it. When we are you...

  And do not be conformed to this world, But be transformed by the renewing of your mind, That you may prove what the will of God is, That which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1 (New American Standard Bible)   The Courage to Stop and Evaluate              The picture showed the man who was waiting for the jury to decide his fate watching people freely walking down the streets. Knowing he would probably never experience such freedom, what must have gone through his mind?   I wondered if in these moments, his thoughts were somewhere in the line of How did I get here? This isn’t the way my life was supposed to go.             For sure, this example is extreme, but haven’t we all come to a conclusion where we asked, “How did I get here? How did this credit card get so high? Where did I lose myself in this relationship? How, how, how...

  For this reason, I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. Ephesians 1: 15-18 (The New American Standard Bible)   Don’t Throw Away, Repurpose At the entrance of my front door is a long runner that is old and slightly curved. I love this about the carpet because it is a picture of life—our life’s path is never straight no matter our age. My interest in used furniture started while I was attending college in Jackson, Mississippi. There in a used f...