Hope for brighter tomorrows

Tonight, I went to the youth devotional with my children. For a little portion of it, I sat out in the lobby to listen from a soft chair. A girl of about 16 walked in late, and sat across from me.

When our amazing stake president got up to speak I had the thought to invite this unfamiliar young woman to walk in to listen with me. I felt somewhat awkward asking her, because I didn't know her. But, nonetheless, I stood up at the conclusion of the previous speaker and looked to the girl and said "Would you like to come in to the chapel with me? She said no. I said, "Well it's President D.. speaking, and you'd have me, so you wouldn't be walking in alone. She replied, "Well, yeah, okay."

As we walked toward the doors to enter she hesitated and said, "Can I sit by you?" I put my arm on her shoulder and said, "Sure, I'd love that." As I we stepped forward toward the doors, I had this sweet feeling wash over me, as we made our way into a large chapel of several hundred young people (with far fewer adults). We sat down together, and enjoyed a sweet talk by our wonderful stake president.

When President D had finished speaking, and the closing hymn, and the "amen" of the closing prayer was said, I turned to the girl I sat by, and made some small talk for a few seconds. I was going to get up and leave, then thought I should learn her name for future reference in my goal to get to know more youth in our stake.

Now this may not seem like much to you, but to me it was a tender mercy from heaven, when I asked her name, and she smiled and said, "I'm Hope!."

Wow! H-O-P-E.

I had symbolically used my energy to stand up and reach out my hand to "hope," then I willingly invited "hope" to join me in my walk forward to face an unknown future!! I feel thankful for the personal reminder that HOPE journeyed with me, when I made a concerted effort on my part!

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A few special notes (A more creative and visual approach! :) I see about HOPE:

Hope does not remove the pain, but HOPE can help us to find things to gratefully focus on, as we try to take comfort amidst confusion. I compare hope to an emerging view, as the terribly loud, frightening, and very long storm finally ceases. Hope for me is when the dark clouds part to display rays of light majestically revealing the beautiful and fundamental truths of life.

In the process those beams of divine light reflect and magnifies the moisture left from the storm, and a rainbow materializes and frames a vision of your new life.
You look out upon the glorious expanse only to discover a crystal clear ocean, previously unknown in your kingdom.

You now have waters to sail upon as you explore distant lands and people, or you may decide to simply walk along beside the shoreline to gather precious seashells of sandy dreams, or beach glass of misty memories. Indeed, the ocean is uniquely yours, for it was formed and nourished by your heartache, and cleansed through your tears, as you braved those frightening storms of life. Storms for which you rose victorious against!

Let us each allow the positive energy of our hearts and minds to make our best efforts to look forward to promises of a brighter tomorrow on the horizon- even during those times where life is the darkest, and much too cloudy for us to see with the limited vision of our natural eyes.

During those dark times, we must make a personal effort to reach out and take hold of the binoculars of hope (ooh, I think I just coined a catchy phrase;) --those binoculars will enlarge and strengthen our sight and help us to see our bright dreams and beautiful desires in the distance.

I feel thankful for my personal reminder, that HOPE decided to join me, even when I made an awkward, uncertain effort on my part! May we all invite "HOPE" to join us on our journeys, and especially as we face the sorrows, heartbreaks, and uncertainties of life!

Romans 8:2424 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Romans 15:1313 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

You've got the strength within you to succeed! Keep trying!
Hugs, Christine

P.S. I hope this makes sense! I wrote it when I was very sleepy!