Real Hope

What is real hope? Is it wishful thinking that we hope will happen?

Real hope can only be found in a relationship with the One who created us.

Every book was created by an author. Every painting was created by a painter.

We are all created by the Author of Life. Do you know Him?

He wants to reveal Himself to you. All you need to do is ask Him.

He will give you real hope!

Hope and Love

We all need hope. If we lose hope, we die.

We were created to live with hope. I think most people think of hope as wishful thinking. For example, we say, "I hope this works."

True hope transcends our mental and emotional realms. Real hope says "I count." I am a person who can make a difference. I have the ability to make it in life.

Our world view determines how hope works in our lives. If I see myself as the "captain of my ship" and I do whatever I feel like, then I exist just to make myself happy. Most of the time if I fit into this way of living, I won't have much hope.

If I see myself as a person in relationship with other people, then my hope is determined by how well I relate to them. If my relationships are co-dependent or addictive, I will have little hope.

If, on the other hand, I relate to people who desire to grow in love then I will have hope because hope is the foundation of love. What kind of love is critical. Is it human love or love from God?

Love from God says that I am deeply loved, completely accepted and highly valued because I am created in His image. He created me to love Him and love other people as I love myself with His love.

His love is revealed in The Message:

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies.

Which kind of hope and love do you want? His love or human love?

Freedom

I enjoy thinking in new ways. Think with me. Every book was created by an author. Every painting was created by an artist. Every building was created by an architect and builder. Every creation has a creator.

What makes us think that we can understand who we are and how we are designed to live without our Creator? No person is an island. Someone had to create us. We are connected by our relationships. I don't agree with philosophers who say, "I think, therefore I am." I have a new perspective. "I relate, therefore I am."

Many of us think of freedom in terms of being free to do whatever we want whenever we want. The problem with that perspective is that some of the richest people are slaves to their "stuff." Their money and things possess them instead of being free to bless people.

Freedom happens when we are free to be. Free to be the person we are created to be and become all we were created to be. The who comes before the what.

Our Father, Abba, meaning precious father, is the One who created us. He reveals Himself through a gift wrapped in a Person. That Person is Christ. He is a Person who knows and understands who each of us is.

He wants us to experience Him. He is Hope. He is our Encourager. He is the One and only One who is willing and able to transform our hurt into healing, our pain into peace and our problems into possibilities.

How do we know Him? Not with our rational, logical, cognitive and analytical minds. We get to know Him in an emotional and romantic way through His Spirit. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He longs to have a living, growing and intimate relationship with you!

A New Day

This is a new day. I am thinking about how to start this blog. I already have two posts. This is the third day I have written a post.

Why did I create a blog? There are several reasons. First, I want to infuse hope into you, everyone and anyone. Second, I have a deep desire to encourage you and anyone who needs to be encouraged. Third, I enjoy meaningful conversations and relationships. Why? Because I have real hope. I have been encouraged. I want to help you become all you were created to be. The list could go on and on.

I want you to meet Abba. The word is aramaic for precious father. I was first introduced to Him in a college student conference in Vancouver, BC in January of 1972. I experienced a life changing transformation. Darkness turned to light. Confusion changed to peace. The light bulb of understanding lit up inside me. For the first time in my life I realized who I was and what I was designed to do. I knew deep in my heart that I was one of His sons. I knew I wanted to spend my life mending broken people.

I think that the only way you can truly know who you are and why you were created is to experience a living relationship with the One who created you. His name is Abba. Christ is His Son. Why not meet Him right now?

Abba, I ask You to reveal Yourself to my friend right now. Friend, ask Him to open your eyes. Our Abba reveals Himself through the person of Christ. Say out loud, I want to know You, Abba. You are my Creator. I ask Your Son Christ to come into my life. I belong to You.

Friend, if you just experienced meeting your Creator, I rejoice with you. You are now a new memeber of the family of our Father. You have millions of new brothers and sisters in Christ.

I want to encourage you to stay tuned to my new post every day to grow in your relationship with Abba.

I want you to know that you are deeply loved, completely accepted and highly valued. You belong to Abba. You are precious and priceless.

Let me pray with you. Abba, I ask that you give my friend your peace today. Let them know that You will take care of them. They belong to you. Lead them to safe relationships where they can have their trust injuries repaired. A place where they can forgive their earthly fathers and establish safe boundaries. Help them reattach and reconnect with the parts of them that have gone into hiding because they have been injured. Help them understand that Christ took their pain of abandonment with His when He was crucified on the cross and rose from the dead. Help them to experience your deep healing and take risks to be healing agents to others.