Hope

So, in case you didn't know, I really like Angie Smith's blog. I'm sort of a fan of her. I am working on catching up reading all of her blog posts, then I will comment or email and let her know how much I appreciate her which will be a momentous day for me.

Angie also posts on a wonderful site called (in)courage along with other Christian women. On this site, there are more devotional-type posts. I read this one yesterday. It should answer some questions about why I like her so much (She loves to read. She listened to her English teacher. She minored in English. She reads Emily Dickinson poetry.) It also is a beautiful description of hope.

Hope has become extremely important to Ryan and I. We don't really like our present very much. Of course, we try to appreciate it, grow, live in the moment, etc., but we also spend a lot of time hoping. We hope to reach future financial goals. We hope to do this or that to our house. We hope to be able to buy an acreage and build a house. We hope to go camping together in August. We hope most of all for children someday. As Angie says, all of these things may not happen, and God defines hope differently. We can have confidence that the things God has promised and planned will happen. That is why I named my blog after the hope I have in my salvation. The hope that ensures I will spend eternity with my Heavenly Father and my Savior.

Let me make one more point about hope. What has caused Ryan and I to hope so much? Our present difficult situation. I think our difficulties in this life help us to hope for eternity with God. That is why I so love the song "Blessings" by Laura Story. (If you haven't heard it, it is definitely worth the listen.)

If you do not have confident hope in the salvation Jesus offers and that you will spend eternity with Him, please talk to me about it.

With love and hope,
Jordon