DARE TO HOPE

i decided not to go to adore sports tonight. I decided instead to go for a run. Funny how little choices we make can affect us greatly. You may call it fate but I call it God’s providence. In order for me to go further, I must rewind. As soon as I wake up, I turn off my alarm and proceed to check the texts/emails/etc I received over night. My daily devotional from Rick Warren was titled, ‘What to do when your World Falls Apart’. In order for me to go further, I must rewind yet again.

Yesterday I bawled. It was not a pretty sight aside from my eyes being mega bright from all the redness. Some serious things are happening. My grandma (Mom’s mom) is in the most advanced state of Alzheimer’s. It’s hard and it’s affecting my entire family. I guess the realization of the entire situation sunk into my heart and broke me. I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. I would appreciate your guys’ prayers for my grandma and family.

I’m learning that as you let someone close to your heart, you have to have some hard conversations. Yesterday also included one of those.

Yeah, let’s just say yesterday was an extremely hard day. Emotionally and spiritually exhausting.

But my amazing God knew all these things.

So when I read, WHEN YOUR WORLD FALLS APART, I paid attention. Rick Warren is going to be taking people on a 6 day journey about suffering. Is it weird that I’m excited for this?

Today he asked us to read Lamentations 3. My world was completely rocked. Oh and it doesn’t stop there…so back to that run. Lately, I’ve gone back to running while listening to a podcast and it’s changing my life! I’ve been listening to Steven Furtick’s counseling series and tonight’s was on Depression. (Amazing, seriously love his sermons!) And you’ll never guess what chapter he solely preached from.

Yep…Lamentations 3. The exact same chapter I read earlier today.

Jeremiah is going through crap. Most of us will go through crap in our lives. Pastor Steven said this statement which I fully agree with (and shared with someone very dear to me) “I believe that often the people who have the greatest call of God on their lives are the people who have to go through the most in order to be what God wants them to be and to do what God wants them to do.”

Life is not always dandy. No Jesus even said we will have troubles, but to TAKE HEART for He has overcome the world. 

The thought of my suffering and homelessness
      is bitter beyond words.
 ²⁰ I will never forget this awful time,
      as I grieve over my loss.
 ²¹Yet I still dare to hope
      when I remember this:

 ²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
      His mercies never cease.
 ²³ Great is his faithfulness;
      his mercies begin afresh each morning.
 ²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
      therefore, I will hope in him!”-Lamentations 3:19-24

Through all my trials and circumstances I will dare to hope. I will remember that His faithfulness is great. I will know that His mercies are new every morning. I WILL HOPE IN HIM.

His goodness stretches wide enough to handle your grief.

Love you incredibly,

s.s.♥.