Hope in 2012

In December of 2011, I realized that an amazingly fabulous date would be happening the next year. My next birthday will take place on 12/12/12! I began to ponder how I could possibly celebrate in a way that was worthy of this "golden" birthday! (My age will even be a multiple of 12! Well, ok, 12.5 x 4!)  I forewarned Will that obviously 2012 was going to be a great year and that we should start planning the birthday party now!  He resigned himself to the fact that 2012 would be all about me. I expect nothing less from my loving husband.

As I contemplated how to build up to this momentous day of celebration, I mulled the possibility of choosing a topic or quality each month to learn about and focus on, something that would benefit my life as well as the lives of those around me and make this a memorable year.

Then on December 31st, my niece Brianna gave birth to her first child, Janae Hope, and the baby faced serious complications, as I shared in Hope for 2012.  I began to think about hope, and my first month's focus was chosen for me.

On the last day of January, I was able to post a picture of her sweet face with no tubes! Her feeding tube just came out, and her lungs have recovered slowly but surely. When she is able to eat and keep enough down, it sounds like she will be able to finally go home. Hope and faith are alive in her parents and all those who love her.

What is hope, really? The first thing that comes to my mind is my little sister, Hope, who I enjoyed calling "Hope Dope Cantalope" many years ago. Funny how still sometimes when I hear or say the word "hope",  immediately "hope dope cantalope" echoes in my mind!

In the Bible, hope is a confident expectation that something will happen. It is the part of faith that is focused on the future. I looked up "hope" in BibleGateway.com and got 178 Scripture references. It's hard to pick out the favorites, but I have to share a few.

Job 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face."

Psalm 43:5  "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (How many times is that repeated?! Interesting!)

Psalm 62:5,6 "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 119:147 "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word."

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

This past month, the importance of placing my hope in God has been so evident as I have been around friends who are dealing with the loss of loved ones, who are suffering from illness themselves or in loved ones, who are discouraged about loved ones with addictions or who are making other destructive choices, and other seemingly hopeless situations. My hope is in the God who created the universe, the God "who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us" (Eph. 3:20-21).  The only way to have joy in spite of these situations is to place our hope in God and wait on Him.


January was an awesome month, with prayers answered, successful weight loss efforts, and retreat planning with an amazing group of women who have become wonderful friends and prayer partners. February promises to bring all kinds of fun and excitement! I'll tell you about February's theme when the month is over. Or maybe sometime this month. It all depends what happens and whether or not the mood to write strikes at the moment I have the time to sit down and write! Hmm, maybe self-discipline will have to be the focus of one of the months. Doesn't that sound entertaining and uplifting!