Hope~

Hope is a light that never fails, a flame burning in the darkest night, an elusive feeling that urges you on when, against all reason, you refuse to give up. Hope is among the most abiding of God's gifts.

It has been said that in each life, there comes at least one moment which, if recognized and seized, transforms the course of that life forever. Have there been special moments when hope came to you? What brought hope into your life? Was it your desire for a quiet, grounded, more centered existence? Was it your yearning for a better future in a peaceful world? Or was it a broken heart? Whatever the reason, once it returns, hope restores our optimism that tomorrow can mark a new beginning.

What would bring you hope this day? Perhaps something as simple as caring words from a loving friend, or taking that first step, or another day of sobriety. Whatever form of inspiration will nourish your spirit, hold it with care in loving hands.

If you are concerned about you health, remember that through the eyes of hope, even illness can be seen as a gift, an opportunity to acquire the wisdom born of adversity. Embrace this opportunity, and bind it with your faith. With hope we learn to keep on living our lives courageously and diligently.

If this comes to you as you are entering a new relationship, be mindful to let the lessons you have learned from the past serve you in what is to come. And if your life is moving in a new direction, let yourself feel the hope that accompanies all new beginnings.

Hope is a companion on our journey, one that whispers in our ear: It is going to be better... The darkness is behind you... The daylight has come.

Rather than collapse yourself into thoughts of the future, stay in the present, for considerable hard work is involved in a time of healing and transformation.

Beyond the suffering and oppression that burden our humanity, we lay claim to our inheritance of hope.

For so many, throughout the world, hope is all that remains. Even those who have left everything behind to make a difficult and arduous journey in search of freedom carry with them their hope of a better life.

We have all known periods of hopelessness and despair. It is only when we begin to realize that we can no longer continue living in the old way, and come to believe in something greater than ourselves, that hopelessness turns into hope.

Hope is God's love at work in our lives.