HOPE 

"The Believers in Haiti are not optimistic about their future at all. They were not optimistic, but neither are they pessimistic. Strangely, they were some of the most hopeful happy people I have ever met." Said Dennis McGowan, who has served on 5 mission trips to Haiti. 

These are people who make under $1.00 per day— just enough money for that day's living expenses and sometimes not even enough for that. The money is meager, but they simply do not have the opportunity to make more. And yet, they are generous. 

They give their time and their labor and their food and their appreciation and their love. About forty of the locals helped McGowan's mission team finish building their church building. When they were helping, they were not earning any money working at their jobs. And yet, they worked side-by-side with the mission team for ten days. 

Why? They had no reason to be optimistic. They were not optimistic that their children's lives would be easier than their lives, that they would receive medical treatment if they fell ill, or that they would always have enough food on their table. 

How could they volunteer their time knowing the bleakness of their situation? McGowan asked one of them why he was working with them instead of working in the fields to earn some money to help support his family. The man replied, "Because it was my church, and because I am serving Jesus." 

"These were some of the most hopeful people I have ever met," McGowan said, "because they placed all their hope in Jesus and Jesus had not disappointed them." No, the Haitians aren't optimistic about their future, but they do have an incredible hope. A hope placed firmly in God. 

Romans 5:3-5 NIV "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." 

—Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Dennis McGowan 

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HOPE 

A recent study indicates that those who are not "hopeful about the future" are more likely to die than those who have hope for the future. Over a four-year span, from 1992 to 1996, researches asked 795 people aged 64 to 79 whether they were “hopeful about the future.” 

Around 9% responded, "no." Five years after the survey, the researches found that 11% of the hopeful died, contrasted with 29% of those who were not "hopeful about the future" died. 

—http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010529/hl/hopelessness_1.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson 

Hebrews 6:18-19 NASB "God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. [19] We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain," 

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HOPE 

In his book, Ray of Hope, Kimsey Wade writes about Gabriella, a little girl placed in an orphanage at the age of six months, who was later adopted by a missionary couple. 

The father, a poor Mayan Indian farmer, tried to take care of the baby and scratch out a living in the jungle after the mother died during childbirth. With no family and no governmental programs to assist single parents, he left the six-month old infant with the missionary couple and their daughter Yessenia. 

Gabriella and her sister never knew any other home than the Big House at Children's Ranch in northern Guatemala. They were typical sisters - arguing; making-up; scheming; playing their parents against one another. They gave little thought to the ongoing civil war that had raged for nearly five decades because neither side had ever threatened the orphanage. Neither did they worry about Gabriella's adoption, which remained a hostage of the Guatemalan Courts. 

The tragic circumstances unfolded at the beginning of the rainy season when the girls were sixteen. Six months later, the girls and their parents found themselves in Guatemala City seeking a way to evacuate to the United States. Without the finalization of Gabriella's adoption, she would have to stay. The girls vowed to never be separated. But, within three months the government ordered the family to leave the country without Gabriella. 

The girls ran away and Yessenia nearly died in the process. In the longest night of her young life, Gabriella relived the events and heard the Spirit's gentle whisper - follow Me. Gabriella would later say "the one miracle we witnessed daily at Children's Ranch was the miracle of hope; the hope that only God gives." 

Faced with uncontrollable life circumstances, Gabriella's faith in God gave her the courage to make one of the toughest decisions anyone could make; she took Yessenia back to their parents so the three of them could escape the hostilities. 

Jeremiah 29:11 New Century Version "I know what I am planning for you says the Lord. I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future." 

For more information about Ray of Hope, go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1553953681/freshministry
 
 

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HOPE 

Residents of the island of Guam are putting their lives back together after a typhoon struck the tiny Pacific island in early December. Typhoon Pongsona hit the tiny U.S. territory with sustained winds of 150 miles an hour, which essentially flattened parts of the island. The typhoon also disrupted the broadcasts of Trans-World radio’s shortwave operation located on the island. 

Trans-World Radio operates five shortwave transmitters on Guam. Though the antenna array suffered severe damage, the supporting towers were left standing, apparently undamaged. Trans-World Radio worked hard to resume their broadcast service to Northeast Asia (China) and Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Southern China) as soon as possible. They rearranged programming to maximize the use of available transmitters to continue providing hope and encouragement over the airwaves. 

Authorities say the long-term outlook on Guam is not hopeful. The commercial power grid may be down for more than a month, and the island’s infrastructure in totally inoperable with emergency services hampered. 

In 1990,Typhhon Russ struck Guan with 145 mile and hour winds. That storm caused a five-day interruption of Trans World’s broadcasts. During that time, a listener in China wrote a letter, which said, “When we can’t get these broadcasts, we’re very upset because thousands of Christians depend on radio for God’s word.” Trans World officials say they plan to strive to ensure listener’s “daily ray of hope” returns soon. 

—http://www.prnewswire.com, December 10, 2002, Devastated but not Defeated, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell 

Romans 12:12-13 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” 

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HOPE IN DESPAIR 

When Payne Stewart's plane went down on Oct. 25, 1999, he wasn't the only one that was immediately ushered into the presence of God. Several of his traveling companions were Christians too. One of them was Bruce Borland. 

At Borland's funeral, his Jewish neighbor came to faith in Christ. Though the plane crash was a tragedy, God used it to bring good. 

Borland's neighbor isn't the only one that found hope through the plane crash. According to PGA Chaplin Larry Moody, several PGA golfers have come to faith in Christ after the accident. 

—BP 6-6-2000 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson 

Romans 8:28 NASB And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 

For more information on Payne Stewart: The Authorized Biography go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805423966/freshministry
 
 

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HOPE 

In The Lord of the Rings, one character is facing terrible evil, and suddenly he looks at a star in the sky. "Like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach. His song in the Tower had been defiance rather than hope; for then he was thinking of himself. Now for a moment his own fate…ceased to trouble him…putting away all fear…" Hope is not the same as defiance. Many people will turn to defiance to deal with their grief and pain rather than to hope. Hope comes from a certainty that there is a Judge and a Redeemer. The Cross proves that God is both. 

— Tim Keller, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Dave Bootsma
 
 

HOPE 

With the arrival of spring, a lone American elm tree in Oklahoma City, received its yearly examination and pruning. A tree care expert climbed the tree, snipped off some dead wood, and after an examination, declared the tree healthy. Officials who know the story of the tree say it is at least 80 years old. They hope with proper care, the elm will stand as a symbol of hope and courage for many years to come. 

This particular tree has thrived with little care for decades. Black and white photos taken in 1946 show the tree was already big when it stood in the backyard of a private Oklahoma City residence. As time passed, the neighborhood was torn down and the tree became a fixture in a parking lot outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. In April 1995, when a bomb destroyed the building, killing 168 people, debris was lung into the top of The tree located 75 yards from the building. Burning cars in the parking lot singed it, but when the smoke cleared, the tree stood firm. 

Today the elm tree has become a symbol of resilience and its image is part of the logo for the Oklahoma City Memorial. The designers of the memorial took special care to ensure the tree would not be harmed as its surroundings took shape. They removed portions of the old asphalt parking lot and added water, aeration, and drainage systems. A raised walkway was constructed around the tree to protect it. The piers supporting the walkway were placed in holes dug by hand to make sure none of the roots were damaged by a stray shovel. 

The tree and its seeds have become a symbol of hope. Seedlings grown from the tree have been given to bombing survivors, rescue workers, and even to people affected by the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Some of the trees offspring now grow on the grounds of the White House in Washington D.C. Oklahoma State Forestry official mark bays said, "Any kind of pruning or spraying, we just make the request of the tree care industry and they come. They want to do what they can to make sure this tree is going to be around as long as it can." 

—http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?whichpage=1&id=100896. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell. 

Psalms 1:1-3 (NKJV) "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. [3] He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper." 

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HOPE 

A young boy who was previously diagnosed as being in a "persistent vegetative state" has awakened from a 22 month-long coma and has started breathing on his own. Devon Rivers suffered a seizure in a phys-ed class in 2004. Though his condition was never explained, doctors agreed he had little hope of recovery. His mother Carla, visited Devon regularly and talked to him in the belief that coma patients can retain their hearing and some understanding. 

Earlier in the year, Carla noticed Devon was turning his head to follow movement. A few days after he began reacting to his environment, Devon was breathing without a respirator. Despite the gloomy prognosis, Devon is now being prepared for occupational therapy to help him re-learn motor skills. He is already able to play with his siblings. Though doctors cannot explain the reason behind Devon's awakening or steady recovery, Carla says the changes have renewed her hope. She said, "Everything that happens in Devon's life is a gain. There are no losses." She recognizes the gravity of the situation adding, "Devon may make a full recovery or what we see today may be what we get. God's plan is greater than ours. There's nothing we can do to force it any sooner or hold it back." 

http://www.fli.org.nz/?sid=34&id=2677. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell. 

Psalms 34:18 (HCSB) "The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit." 

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HOPE 

George Will says "The pleasures of pessimism are that pessimists are often right—and are delighted to be proved wrong." 

—Newsweek, Jan 31, 2005, p. 60. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson 

Being right much of the time and happy to be proved wrong the rest of the time is too small a reward for living life without hope. I'd rather be right less often, and keep my hope, than to live my life always looking at the dark side. 

Lament. 3:24 (KJV) "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." 

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HOPE 

During the dog days of summer, the Olympic Games, terrorism, and the upcoming election are on the minds of most people. In one English store, shoppers can come out of the hot humid weather, and buy colored lights, ornaments, and other fixtures of the Christmas season, more than four months before the big day. 

Shoppers can browse the 10,000 square foot Christmas World section. 

Though consumers complain that the frenzy of Christmas shopping starts earlier each year, the store says the real business begins in November, and they plan another more traditional opening for the portion of their store, which has been a holiday fixture in London for years. 

—http://news/yahoo.com. Christmas Comes (Very) Early to London, August 10, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell. 

Those of us who know the real meaning of Christmas could learn something from this shop. It is never too early to begin celebrating what God did for us by sending His son into the world! 

Christmas in August isn't such a bad idea. 

John 1:14 (NASB) "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." 

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HOPE 

Vince Papale was a thirty year old with nothing to lose in the summer of 1976. He overcame tremendous odds and fulfilled his dream of playing in the National Football League. Papale lived under the cloud of discouraging words written by his ex-wife months before. She left him a note, which read, "Vince, you'll never go anywhere. You'll never make any money and you'll never make a name for yourself." The Eagles had lost every preseason game, and the first game of the season. Before their home opener against the New York Giants, Papale and the Eagles had to decide where they would find the heart to help the team win again. 

When Papale made the Eagle's team, the team was headed by new coach Dick Vermeil and was desperately hoping to turn things around. Coach Vermeil encouraged the team. "A team with character will find away to beat a team with better talent." He reminded the Eagles they were not short on talent, or character. He listed a line-up of great Eagle players of the past saying the new team needed to get back to the soul of the team. Vermeil said the city needed them and added, "You are what gives them hope." Reflecting on the coach's words, Papale's character goes to his locker and tears up the discouraging note from his ex-wife, choosing to let the coach's words and the example of past players become his inspiration. 

—Invincible, Chapter 15—Giants Vs. Eagles, Time: 1:26:58 to 1:28:18; Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell. 

Papale had to decide which vision of his future he would follow—his wife's or his coach's. He chose hope over despair. 

Note: Papale is pronounced (PAP-all-lee) 

Hebrews 12:1 (GW) "Since we are surrounded by so many examples (of faith), we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up."
 
 

HOPE/DREAMS 

Shirley Kennelly was returning from a hunting trip near Houston, Texas when she saw something moving in the breeze. When she investigated she found a balloon with a green envelope attached addressed to "The Three Magic Kings." 

The Christmas season in Mexico continues through January 6th. On the holiday known as Three Kings Day or Epiphany, children wake up to finds presents left by the "Reyes Magos," or Magi. The balloon contained a piece of paper inside with photocopied pictures of toys the sender wanted for Three Kings Day, which is celebrated in many Hispanic cultures on the 12th day following Christmas each year. 

The balloon came from Xalapa, Veracruz and was dated January 2, 2003. Officials believe the sender was not used to writing 2004 and wrote the wrong year, because the envelope was in good condition, and there was still helium in the balloon. Staff Meteorologist of the Fort Bend County office of Emergency Management, Ron Stago said it's possible the balloon made the 700 to 800 hundred-mile journey in two days. He said, "The balloon probably got up to about 10,000 feet or so. At that altitude, traveling about 40 miles per hour, it was transported northeast to the upper Texas Coast." 

—http://news.yahoo.com/news, 'Spongebob' Toy Balloon Flies 800 Miles, January 9, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson 

I don’t know if the child who sent the balloon will get his gifts from “Reyes Magos” or not. But I am drawn into his story, hoping that he does. There is something inside me that loves a dreamer, who will fill a balloon with helium, attach a “wish list” to it, send it up toward heaven and then hope for a reply. 

That’s certainly a preferred response than resigning yourself to a life of hopeless desperation. Is there the spark of the dreamer inside you? Do you still have a bit of sparkle left in your eye, or has the harsh reality of what is, drained from you to possibility of what could be? 

Psalm 31:24 NASB “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord.”
 
 

HOPE/GRIEF 

A new study conduced in Great Britain suggests that a people’s spiritual beliefs affects the way they grieve the loss of a loved one. The study set out to explore the relationship between spiritual beliefs and the resolution of bereavement by following relatives and close friends of patients who died of terminal illnesses at a London Care facility. 

The main finding of the study was that the strength of spiritual belief was an important factor in predicting the outcome of bereavement. People with a low strength of belief resolved their grief more slowly during the first nine months, but by 14 months had caught up with people who expressed strong spiritual beliefs. Participants with no spiritual beliefs had a higher grief scores than the remainder at one month and 14 month follow up points. The study also found that the degree of closeness to the person who died and the level of emotional distress before the death increased feelings of grief, but neither affected the rate at which grief was resolved. 

The researchers concluded that spiritual beliefs provide a framework in which grief is resolved more readily. Whether these beliefs are associated with religious practice or not, they contain tenets about the course of human life and existence after death. People with stronger beliefs were able to adjust to a loss better, and suffered less psychological distress. 

—www.bmj.com, June 29, 2002. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell 

The result of this study suggest that the absence of spiritual belief is a risk factor for delayed or complicated periods of grieving when a loved one dies. Ultimately, not just any belief brings comfort, only a belief in the One who conquered death. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NIV “Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose gain and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”
 
 

HOPE/PATIENCE 

In 1963, 18-year-old Gulli Wihlborg lost her red wallet while riding her bicycle in the southern Swedish town of Trelleborg. After four decades, she was stunned to open an envelope and find that someone had anonymously returned the long forgotten wallet. 

Wihlborg said, "It's fantastic." She said the wallet still contained old photographs and receipts, and all the cash she remembered losing. She told a local newspaper that the equivalent of six dollars and change was a lot of money to her then. The sender did not provide any clue about their identity. 

Along with the wallet was a note reading, “Dear Gulli, you should never give up hope. Here's your wallet that was found on (the street) many years ago. Greetings from Trelleborg." Wihlborg hopes the sender will come forward, so she can learn the rest of the story. "It would be fun to know," she added. "You wonder why it hasn't been sent until now." 

—http://news.yahoo.com, Lost Wallet Returned After 40 Years, Monday, February 03, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell. 

Titus 2:11-13 NIV “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”