Keep Hope Alive

Some years ago I remember seeing a billboard on the side of the road that read, “Keep Hope Alive.” These three simple words have stayed in my memory and have encouraged me to ponder the importance of hope in our lives and in our world. Hope is to our spirits what oxygen is to our lungs. Our spirit dies when our hope dies. Therefore it is imperative that we nurture hope in our lives and in our communities. Sometimes it does seem like our hope comes crashing down crushing our spirits, yet that is when we need to turn to God, dig deep and hold on to a hope that outlasts our brokenness. Life often gives us challenges along the way, yet with the help of God we can navigate our way through the obstacles and be reassured of God’s presence. What we need is hope for today, not a childish hope that God will give us whatever we want. But a mature hope, that God will be with us and hold us up when we are feeling down. Turning to God in prayer is one way to keep hope in our hearts. So during this Holy week when we remember Jesus, and how he died on the cross for us, we gather, grateful that we are given a hope that can never die. So let hope rise this Easter season and “Keep Hope Alive!!!”

Enjoy a good laugh today

Some years ago around New Year’s, my husband and I decided to come up with New Year’s resolutions for each other. A risky venture I have learned. I don’t remember what I said to him, but he suggested I work on my sense of humor. I suppose that I had become a little too uptight. I hate to admit it, but he was right, I did need to “rediscover” my sense of humor. At times, life can certainly beat the joy right out of us. We get discouraged and downtrodden. Yet no matter how dormant our joy, one thing life can’t take from us, is our innate ability to laugh. Laughter is a choice. I marveled at people’s ability to have a quick wit, a creative comeback, and the capacity to laugh at themselves. Humor is a gift from God and we need to nurture it. Laughter is so important to our health both physically and spiritually. I pray that today we will find opportunities to delight in the joys around us for laughter expresses the beauty and the spirit we all carry within. So keep praying and keep laughing!!