Hope? What runs in your mind as you hear the word "hope"?.....optimistic, light in the end of the tunnel, etc...Now, reflect on your past and make a list of events/circumstances when you lost hope....
-not finding my sister after Sunday school in Oakdale, MN
-continue to get picked on during junior high at Battle Creek Middle School in St. Paul, MN
-continue to live with the problems/issues in my "dysfunctional family"
-not getting out of my job for 3-5 years at Taco Bell
-not being able to finish college at UMM and thinking of transferring to the UofM Twin Cities campus
-not finding a "good" job after college
-continue the "endless battle" of racism/multicultural issues at the rural college town community of Morris, MN
Now, look at the list and check off where you were able to overcome (with God's help) these "barriers" in life so far.
Make a list now what are your current struggles in life and then read Matthew 10 about "come to me who are worry and burdened and I'll give you rest" and "search" hope in biblesearch.com....
"guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long"-Psalm 25:5 (one of 160 verses)
Write any reflections to each verse that "speaks to you" and past these on your bathroom mirror or somewhere around your house that will help you remember each day to not "give hope" or "keep hope alive".
My reason for writing this today (Saturday, April 9th 2005) is because I've been reading stories of the infamous "Bataan Death March" (personal filipino war page). One of the stories I just read this morning inspired me to write this...
The American Experience: MacArthur-Liberation
The world liberation is very self explanatory of the hope story from this WWII event in the Philippines for the American soldier awaiting for "hope" during their captivity by the Japanese.
As I reflect other stories/movies I've heard/read/watch, I have to parallel this to our Christian walk to keep persevering in our faith until "Jesus comes back" (third coming) or to press on each day that God will get us through!
Break My Plans
"BREAK MY PLANS is a music video from Christian Vocal Artists, This Hope. Telling the story of a Romanian hymn writer imprisoned in 1959 for exercising his faith through music, the song "Break My Plans" is an emotionally stirring ballad of faith under oppression. While in prison, and without pen and paper, Nicolae Moldoveanu composed 366 hymns! Nicolae's struggle is faithfully reenacted by Jeff Rose and includes performance scenes from This Hope. "This Hope" is currently touring the United States and can be found at ThisHope.org"
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