Take Heart: The Practice of Hope

"Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!"
Psalm 31:24 (AMP)

When I was raising my 4 children alone for so many years, God was my rock, my constant source of comfort, peace, strength, courage, faith, hope, love, joy and grace.

Every day, I am reminded to place my trust in Him, to hold on to hope and take courage again.

Each day, I am reminded to look for things to be grateful for - amongst the struggles of living with chronic illness, wondering how (and where) my prodigal son is  & worrying about my youngest daughter who is consumed by an incidious disease.

I thank God that my two other children, my oldest daughter & youngest son, are healthy, happy and reasonably settled.

Each day, I find the strength to look beyond the things that could so easily consume my life, my thoughts and steal my joy.

I constantly have to come back to the knowledge that God has walked beside me for all these years and that he has continually blessed me.

Some days I am easily discouraged, and I often listen to the song “Take Heart” by Hillsong. The bridge says:
 
“All our troubles, And all our tears, God our hope, He has overcome.

All our failure, And all our fear, God our love, He has overcome.

All our heartache, And all our pain, God our healer, He has overcome.

All our burdens, And all our shame, God our freedom, He has overcome.

God our justice, God our grace, God our freedom, He has overcome.

God our refuge, God our strength, God is with us, He has overcome.”

 
No matter what our circumstances, no matter how impossible things seem, no matter how discouraged we may become, He has overcome & He is our hope.

But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.
Psalm 71:14 (AMP)