~ Hope...A Morning Treasure Found ~

“Now may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13)

Before leaving my apartment this morning I picked up two books that were given to me a few weeks back. I promised myself that I would start filling my mind and heart with these promising and encouraging avenues towards healing and restoration. One of the books is about the power of Hope and the effects it has on every part of us. Physically, emotionally and spiritually. Amazing enough a life consumed by hopelessness can literally kill us. Eventually the lack of hope and the overwhelming struggle that the impact the absence of it takes on our heart…can be the cause of us taking our final breath.

There are two people that instantly come pouring into my thoughts when I think of Hope Lived out Authentically. My great friends Mr. & Mrs. Warr(Ray & Etrille). Such life warriors. People saturated with Hope. They lived everyday pushing towards this mighty word. They lived with the attitude that no matter what curve ball was thrown their way…they would live in Hope. I know now looking back through time…this is what drew my heart towards them. This is what made their life….as simple as that life was…so very attractive to me. They never lost Hope. Up into the very last breath they took…they had Hope. I remember visiting alone with Ray after Etrille had passed. There in the small room at the rehabilitation center…Ray spoke a lasting and life changing message into my heart. He said to me things that all stem around this most important word…Hope. Ray emphasized that until God took him out of this world he was here to do something to make a difference. Unbeknownst to him…he was making a difference right then and there. He spoke discernment and insight into a grieving heart. He spoke Hope into a mind filled with hopelessness. When I start to think that my race is over. When I become like David was…in his hopeless existence. I remember that night. Holding Mr. Warr’s hand. Looking in his face. All the wrinkles of his brow. But…in his eyes one thing permeated through his message to me….Hope, Becka…Hope.

The book I’m reading uses the analogy from the movie The Shawshank Redemption. Which happens to be one of my favorite movies. I never stopped to think about this being of movie based on Hope. But, it is. The line that so much exudes this message is the line where Andy says, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” What a great message! Ray Warr could have gotten busy dying after Etrille passed. He could have given up Hope. But, even after losing his beautiful bride of over 70 yrs.…Ray decided to live and most importantly he decided to have Hope. Hope that in some way in the corner of a small room…tucked away in a hospital bed…alone and waiting for God’s hand to move…he made lasting impacts on each person that sat next to him. Held his hand. Took in the wisdom and faith this godly man spoke out from his heart.

I’m thankful this morning that before I left my apartment I bent down and picked up a book. A book about Hope. I’m thankful this morning I took time to read the first chapter. I’m thankful this morning I choose to stop living with a heart that is sick and emptied out and I’m choosing to replace its emptiness with a life changing prescription called…Hope.

Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Live Hoping. Let’s get busy living!