Hang Onto Hope

PHOTO CAPTION: You can climb to the top when you hang on and trust God.

Last year my word for the year was faith. I was struggling with higher blood pressure than my doctor liked and so I started monitoring my blood pressure everyday. Some days it was really good and other days, not so good at all. Through the journey to better health, I reached out to God. I said, “God, I don’t understand why my blood pressure is fluctuating so much. I’m trying to watch what I eat. I don’t think I am overly worried or stressed about life, although there have been quite a few things I could be stressed about. Why God?” I felt like God was nudging me to hang on to Him and trust Him in the process, so I started writing down faith statements in my blood pressure journal. This year I have decided to carry it forward and write about hope. Hope is my new word of the year and yes, I do believe there is a lot to be hopeful for.

Faith and hope walk hand in hand. Which comes first? I don’t know for sure. Perhaps faith, because when we have faith in God that gives us hope, but then again maybe hope comes first because as God births hope in our hearts, then that strengthens our faith. It really doesn’t matter which comes first, we need both and in Christ, we can have both.

Some might say, “What do we have to be hopeful for right now? Look at all that’s happening in the world. Listen to the news and it’s depressing.”
I’ve heard others say, “It’s not going to get any better.” There is a kernel of truth in these thoughts, but I am still choosing hope. Why? Because I have a big God. I have hope that whatever comes or whatever happens in the world, God still keeps His promises. I have hope that God is with me in this journey of life. He cares about everything that I face and everything I am going through. He cares about my family even more that I care about them. Amazing! Yes, He even cares about my blood pressure, which, by the way, is still not perfect, but it is better. I am still working diligently on eating healthy and monitoring it. I am learning to take better care of myself. I am trying to exercise regularly and eat more fruits and veggies and less snack foods and desserts. It’s a journey, but I am learning day by day.

Speaking of journey, that is exactly what God took Abraham on, a journey to a new land. He gave him a son and God gave him the land that he could see in every direction. He promised Abraham a big family. Yes, God did fulfill that promise. Abraham’s descendants became a great nation. Not only that, but Jesus, God’s Son, was born through the lineage of Abraham. All nations, all peoples of the world have been blessed through Abraham, because through Jesus, we too can be a part of God’s family.

God kept His promise to Abraham even before Abraham saw the full fulfillment of that promise. Abraham walked in hope and faith. He made mistakes, but he never gave up. He continued to believe God’s promises and you can too. Whatever challenges you may be facing in your life journey, look up. God is with you. He is for you. He has big dreams and plans for you and He is the God of hope. Don’t let anything or anyone steal your hope.

PARENT PRAYER:
God,
I have hope because you are with me. I want to walk in hope and faith like Abraham did. He obeyed, he moved as you led him to move and he continued to believe even before he realized the fulfillment of the promises that you made to him. Lord, I may never see all that I am hoping for in my lifetime, but I will continue to believe. Give me grace and strength to persevere and never give up. I will believe for my family and friends. I will continue to pray and I will trust you in this journey. I will believe you for this next generation. I believe that they won’t lose hope and faith. I will believe that they will find in you all that they need and that they will look up knowing that there is a God who loves them and is with them. I believe that they will do great and mighty things as they trust you. I believe that they will love you with all their heart and will love others as themselves. I believe because you are not done with our children. I believe because you are the God of hope. Show me how to let my light shine so that others can see in the dark. Show me how to trust you more, to persevere and not give up. Strengthen my faith and hope daily. Teach me to ever look to you for guidance. Teach me how to invest in the next generation so that they too will know your mighty acts Lord and your purpose. Amen

STATEMENTS OF FAITH & HOPE

• These statements are things that I felt God speak to my heart in my journey to be healthier. They are simply my thoughts as I prayed and journaled, nothing more.
• Eat healthy and trust God.
  • I will trust, keep praying and keep trying. When I mess up, faith says, “God will help me.”
• I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength, yes even eat healthy.
  • Lord, I trust you. You said, “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God and you will give it to him liberally.” God, I’m asking.
    • Even when you don’t yet see the results, keep giving thanks. Gratitude changes out altitude.
• Seek and you will find, knock and the door will opened unto you, ask …” God delights in giving His children good gifts.
• “ Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Hope in God makes the heart sing. What are you basing your hope in?
• Hope springs from faith in a God that is good.
• Hope trusts, believes and perseveres against all odds, because hope knows God is with us.
  • Hope is the light in the dark leading us towards a brighter tomorrow.
    • Hope keeps us moving forward when everything and everyone around us says to give up.
      • A new day, a new year, a new beginning, a fresh commitment to healthy eating and trust in a God who is the God of new beginnings – That is hope!
        • Hope continues to trust in God, even in the dark.

Kid’s Section

STORY: God’s Promise To Abraham – Genesis 13:14-18, 15:5-6, 22:17
God kept His promise to Abraham and gave him a son named Isaac, just like He said He would. Even though Abraham was really old, God kept His promise to him. God always does what He says He will do.

I wonder, “What else did God say to Abraham? Let’s look in our Bible and find out.”God led Abraham to a new land, the land of Canaan. God took good care of Abraham and his family. He gave him everything he needed and more. One day God said to Abraham, “Look all around you, Abraham. I’m going to give you all the land you can see.” Abraham looked. (Stand up and look around.) He looked this way and he looked that way. He looked behind him and he looked straight ahead and He believed what God said to him. God also told Abraham, “I’m going to give this land to you and your children. I will give you more children than the dust on the ground, (Touch the ground.) the stars in the sky or the sand on the seashore.” (Reach high, reach for the sky.)

That’s a lot of kids! God told Abraham that He would give him a BIG family before his son, Isaac, was even born. Abraham trusted God. He believed that God would do what He promised because God always does what He says He will do. Did God keep His promised to Abraham? Yes, He did! God gave Abraham lots of land and a big, big family. Because Abraham trusted God, he became a part of God’s family and that’s not the end of the story. You are part of God’s story too. God sent His Son, Jesus to earth to rescue you and now you can love and trust God just like Abraham did.

God loved Abraham and God loves you. (Give yourself a hug.) You can be sure of that! Abraham loved and trusted God. He believed God’s promises.. You can love and trust God just like Abraham, because God always keeps His promises. He does what He says He will do and that means He will always love and care for you.

PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for loving me. I love you too. I know that you keep your promises. You always do what you say you will do. That is how I know I can always trust you. I want Jesus to be my friend all the time and I want to live for you. Forgive me and care for me every day. Amen

MEMORIZE: Proverbs 3:5 – (Hands like holding a book.)
Trust – (Make a fist & pull in.)
In the Lord – (Point upwards.)
With all – (Extend arms outward.)
Your heart – (Hands on heart.)

KNOW: I can trust God’s promises.
TALK ABOUT: God’s promises. What is a promise?
ASK: Who loves you? God loves me. Who always does what He says He will do? God.

AND DO… I can trust God’s promises and thank Him for His love.

FUN IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK:

• Count the stars at night – as many as you can see.
• Talk about how God is with you everywhere you go. Have a running conversation with God and your preschooler wherever you go.
  EX: “Thank you God for my friends.” “God, I’m glad mom let me buy my favorite snack   at the store.” “Help me be a good listener today.”