September 2008
Monthly Archive
Hope Is A Journey
Posted by Paul on 22 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Cancer, Encouragement, Hope, Ponderings, Remembering
Last weekend I was on a Men of NorthStar Retreat from church and the theme was perseverence, of not quiting or giving up, of not being without hope and hope has been what has carried me through the last five years.
I have never been without hope. It was that hope that enabled me to keep moving forward, even when I couldn’t see it or feel it.
There was a seed of hope within, that was nurtured by faith and trust in God.
It is hope that carries us through and enables us to not give up or let go in the midst of the storms that come our way and try to drive hope from us.
In the darkest night of the soul, in the midst of the battle, there has always been hope, an awareness of the promises of the word of God, of that still small voice of the Spirit, that would remind me to hold on, not give up, but to trust, to have faith, to see that He that has begun a good work in me would finish that which He has begun.
For me to give up, would not only effect me, but those around me, my family, my children, my friends!
In the midst of cancer, Hope!
In the midst of divorce, Hope!
In the midst of loneliness, Hope!
In the midst of despair, Hope!
There has always been Hope, even when I could not “see it or feel it”, nevertheless, there was and is always hope!
I have learned that there is always hope, that all that we go through, makes us stronger, shapes us into instruments of hope.
Hope shines forth as we persevere, as we press on and in. We become instruments that will give hope to others as the see the Hope that is within us, the Hope of Christ!
Hope is a journey, let us travel it in faith. Let hope be part of who we are as we allow the Christ within, to shine forth!
Let hope arise, that the glory of the Lord will shine forth, even in the battles of life, for we are never without Hope!
Till later,
Paul
Choose!!
Posted by Paul on 11 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Cancer, Coffee Thoughts, Encouragement, General, Hope, Remembering
If there is one thing that I have learned over the years is that every day is a new day, a fresh start, a new beginning.
No two days are alike; each day is different, each with opportunities to walk with the Lord.
There are choice’s to be made and the choices we make affect’s all those around us.
What we choose is very important. Do we choose to walk in the ways of the Lord, to yield our life afresh each day to be led of the Lord, to reach out and minister to others, to encourage, exhort, lift up others or do we choose to wallow in ourselves and bring others down, rather than lifting them up in the Lord?
We are given opportunities each day to be vessels of life. To be poured out, to share the hope that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are given opportunities to encourage others, to lift them up, exhort them, to build them up in the faith.
We are given the opportunity to be a servant, to walk as the Lord walked, as a servant of all. We are giving the privilege of being a servant, which is so contrary to what the world says.
In serving, we are set free; our focus is returned to the Father, and we learn to be one with Him.
We are all a work in progress, constantly being changed, molded and conformed to the Lord, brought to the place that we begin to reflect the reality of who He is, so that when others see us, they see the Christ within.
They see a reflection of hope!
We are given the opportunity each day to draw strength from the Lord, from the Word.
Each day we have an opportunity to walk with our Father, giving out of what He has given us, sharing the new life that we have in the
Lord Jesus Christ with others.
Every day is indeed a new day!!
Till later,
Paul
