because I wrote a book about Hope: free chapter download
Things are not normal. This is not the life any of us are used to. It's going to go back to something, but we still do not have a clue what that something will be or even when it will be. At the end of the virus, the quarantine, and/or the lock down depending on the state or country in which you live, we will emerge with a list of new skills learned or at least attempted, come out on the other side with a new appreciation and thankfulness for who we have and what we have been given instead of worrying so much about what others have and what we have not or, will we cross over onto the other side of this line that will forever be the next milestone question ¨where were you when…? needing to recover from the fear, panic, and/or anxiety that never seemed to dissipate.
As a writer, or at least a self-proclaimed one, it has been difficult to know what to say. Of all the times to have a mental block, this wasn´t the one I wanted. But, as words and news flood every single space around us, there has not been a desire to add to the noise with anything unnecessary. People are shouting from every angle, with every opinion, every encouragement, every admonition, every request, every humorous meme, or every need and adding just another post with another statement from another person felt as if it would either cause distraction from really important ones sharing urgency or get lost in the shuffle of everything else out there.
Adding to that inner dialogue discussing the personal writing dilemma, is an overworked brain stretched far and wide to the needs at home and the needs in the community and the deciding what is worth venturing out for because it is critical for the survival of another and what isn't worth it because of the desire to keep everyone safe at home. For this ISFJ defender, enneagram 2, highly sensitive, second-guessing girl who does her best thinking in the quiet, completing a sentence in the current noise has been an overwhelming undertaking only now achieved by some rare burst of awaken-ness in the late hours of a day filled with yard work, studying, cooking, playing, and watching Andrew Peterson read his first novel on the inter webs which really just reminds me of the introductions to Masterpiece Theater (PBS version, not the Cookie Monster ones. Ok, maybe the Cookie Monster ones too).
I have been giving myself a hard time for not having a perfect answer, a perfectly packaged statement that could be released into the world and immediately bring down blood pressure, open hearts to others, or change another´s circumstances. But, honestly, has that ever happened? At least, has it happened when I venture out on my own. The answer is now and always will be, no. My words, on my own, supplied by my own desires and thoughts, will never really do much for another. But my words, fueled by that sweet Spirit living inside me, gifted by a Savior who humbled himself in human form as a gift from the Creator of the Universe and also the Creator of little bit ol´ me will always make a difference. Whether it´s in just my heart, in the life of another, or in the lives of the multitudes, His words do not go out void and dripping from every line, in one way or another, is a living and breathing Hope. Because, there is ALWAYS Hope.
You see, before life got more than a little full, I was gifted two years. The first year brought frustration, confusion, and I´ll admit more than a little sadness and depression as I found myself a stay at home mom with no babes at home to stay with. The battle for meaning and purpose raged within my mind and manifested itself in the worst of ways. Though I have shared throughout my blog, and could share again, the lessons learned about our significance because we have Christ, this is not the moment for that. Because, after that year, I was gifted another. That second year, after months upon months of fighting against a request placed deeply within my heart, I relented. I finally said yes. That yes came in the form of a book, a book about Hope. A book about what Hope means and who Hope is and the trials I went through to be taught the valuable lesson that no matter what the circumstances, There is Always Hope.
The words I was so frustrated with myself for not having these past weeks were actually written a year ago and have just not yet been shared. Yes, I pray this book becomes a tangible item to be shared with others and placed on shelves. That´s a fear that is still in the process of being tackled. But until that time, I want to share with you today one chapter from the book, the chapter about Biblical Hope. You see Hope is not a fleeting wish that is thrown into the air as we wait to see if it is fulfilled or not. Hope is a promise. Hope is a promise for a future that we can hold onto in the present because of what Christ did for us in the past. And whether you are on the front lines of this present pandemic as a healthcare worker or keeping us supplied in the food industry or keeping us safe as a service worker or keeping our world as clean as possible or just working from home, schooling your children, and just trying to do the next right thing we have that promise as an anchor to our soul that there, no matter the circumstances, is always Hope.
Thank you, friends, for all you do and for who you do it for. I pray these words written then can bring peace and encouragement into your now. Pray for me.