Hope Rising...

Testimonies.

They are powerful things.

Especially when they are yours.

In the midst of tough circumstances... in the battle with the things that bring pain into our lives...

There is hope.

As I drove home this morning, with the sun shining, and the breeze bringing with it the promise of warmth to sooth the parts in me that have been cold.... I was gently reminded of that hope.

The glimpses that God keeps giving me.

Like the sunshine today, right in the middle of our cold and unusual weather for this part of our world.

The sudden rains... the wind that snaps with a bite that runs clean through your cloths leaving goose bumps and thoughts if you will ever get warm again.

I usually love the cold weather. I relish it.

I don't take kindly to heat and the feeling of utter stickiness and the wanting to get out of my skin that it usually makes me feel like.

But today.... and during seasons when the cold in my life has begun to take it's toll....

I long for days like this.

To walk outside and turn my face up.... letting the sun lights rays just penetrate to the very core of my being.

To run with a knowing that much like today, my life holds more than just the constant storms that have seem unending and relentlessly beating down my door.

We have been through many storms in our lives.....

My family and I.

We have weathered them together.

Huddled as one on our little boat of life... that at times has felt so small and so daunting, unable to withstand the wind tossed waves breaking constantly over us all.

Today I have this picture of us... huddled together... arms wrapped tightly around one another... beginning to lift our heads up....

Eyes beginning to look up.... to see....

Feeling the light on our faces as we glimpse out at the sun just beginning to rise out from our seas.

We are still grasping tightly... holding on.

We are still waiting... and praying... and keeping each other closer.... almost afraid to let go....

But last night.....

As crazy as this sounds, I once again was reminded that I will soon have to let go.... again.

And it brought me hope.

As I took that drive home today, I realized that with this next letting go moment... that something has shifted.

It feels almost physical.... it will be in mere weeks to come.

And I'm not sure if I'm ready yet.... but God has made the choices for us.

He has called one of us out of our little huddle... and with that release of our arms that have been surrounding one another for almost a year now.... we are all going to be forced to straighten our stance a little.

We will need to be ready for what God is calling the rest of us to as well.

It isn't about just one of us... it has always been about all of us.

Us and Him.

And as He showers me with His hope... His redemption... and His whispers of more... I am once again reduced to tears.

What does the future hold?

I don't know.

I dare to hold my breath for it.

Unable to speak of it... unable to hold out for more of what I truly want from Him.

What He has promised to me... to us.

But I am.

Today... because of what He did yesterday....

I can feel it rising.

Like the sun over our storm tossed waters....

Glimpses of what is to come...

And the knowing that He has so much more in store for us.

So

Much

More

As I begin today....

As I decide to allow myself to take in what it is He is at the forefront of....

I am hoping for you too.

That you will feel it.

And that this time it won't just be about us looking out...waiting...

Wondering for when....

But that we will begin to see it as our reality.

What He has promised He will do.

He Will.

If we let Him.

Because He isn't a God who forgets.

He isn't a cold statue that sits and waits for you to bring things to Him.

He comes to us....

He sees us hoping... coming... 

And He runs to meet us.

With arms outstretched.

And what He has prepared for us....

We can't even begin to imagine.

Not in our wildest dreams.

I am hoping for more....

And I am letting it rise....

Will you?

.... until another tomorrow.

~m.

"But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
 ⁹"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;" Deuteronomy 7:8,9

God gave this verse to me when my oldest daughter was a baby.
I was struggling with fear and torment.
I had forgotten His promises... and my hope.
At a women's prayer meeting that my mother in love took me to, I got this word.
And I have been holding tightly to it ever since.
That was years ago....but I know...
He is faithful.
Don't forget what He has promised to you today.
I want to encourage you to lift them up... bring them before your King... cry out for all that you are trusting Him for....
And let the hope rise......

This song has been ringing through our home... through our cars... and through our lives....

I pray it blesses you today....
I hope you will let it.