Hope-Full Living

Our 21-year-old grandson is like so many Gen Z’s today. They are growing up in a world where it’s normal to be skeptical. They don’t view the world through rose-colored glasses and can be more skeptical than trusting. I listen to our grandson’s concerns, ask him about his expectations in life, and talk to him about the reliability of God. Recently, I shared David’s words in Psalm 62 with him. Begi...

We all have one: an umbilicus AKA belly button. It is a humble reminder of a significant connection. Once it bound us to our mother as she provided us with nutrition, oxygen, warmth, and all we needed to grow and survive in the womb. Without it, without her, we would not be. That cord of our past symbolizes the tie that binds us to our Lord: the faith He has given us. That faith in Christ’s sacrif...

A child brings so much hope and happiness for a parent. They set expectations and goals they want their child to achieve. Yet, I remember holding my youngest child when she was only a month old and hearing the pulmonologist tell us she has CF (Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease with a shortened life expectancy). I was devastated. I didn’t think she would live long enough to fulfil the dreams, goal...

As you know, along with aging come changes. For me, a most disturbing change is a vocal cord disorder which has robbed me of my singing voice. I have always loved singing, especially beloved hymns and spiritual songs, and I came to deeply miss singing. A friend who knew I was grieving this loss gave me a mug emblazoned with the picture of a waterfall and the words of Zephaniah 3:17. At once, I fel...

The older I get, the more I can identify with St. Paul’s declaration that he has known plenty and want and is content with either condition. I must admit, I still enjoy shopping, but I do far less of it than I have in the past. My cup is full, as is my house. Many of you know what I am talking about. I shed some belongings when I moved from a three- bedroom house to a two-bedroom townhouse, but th...

Paul knew repeated hardship yet learned to be ever content. I often questioned how. Until that day in the den ... On this particular visit, I found my mother resting on the sofa and told her I had something special to show her. Immediately curious, she opened the folder and gazed upon her granddaughter’s “high school graduation” photo. I will never forget her reaction. She was recently told nothin...

Yesterday a friend said she was down in the dumps. That’s one way the Psalmist describes the emotional state of being “cast down.” Sara was disappointed that her family couldn’t attend a reunion. For others, discouragement comes from hearing a medical diagnosis or with a car repair when money is limited. Our circumstances lead us to disappointment, discouragement, uncertainty, or just having a bad...

Have you ever noticed that when we let things go — our worries, wants, fears — we end up being happier? What did we expect? The Creator knows His creature’s needs. Or, after going through a time of trial, prayerfully trusting in the Lord, we emerge more resilient, confident in our faith and life? What did we expect? Our Lord Jesus, who knew fully human suffering in His earthly life, stands beside...

Our family loved hiking on mountain trails. Estimating our time and energy, we’d often walk without a destination until it was time to turn back. We’d retrace our steps, enjoying the lookouts or resting spots found on the way up. In life, there is no going back. Our path leads us forward to unknown twists, sometimes involving steep climbs and sudden descents. The uncertain future can seem scary an...

With age, we gain history. Fewer Americans recall the sacrifices of World War II. Young people under age 25 did not experience September 11, 2001. Peter is writing to new Christians, urging them to reflect on ways God rescued His people in the Old Testament. Since the fall of Adam, we have experienced evil all around. We sadly remember family conflicts. We may fear for our safety in the streets. L...

Many of us have had the experience of knowing families who got along with each other very well and had great sibling relationships. Yet when the patriarch, or the head of the family dies, there is great dissension, quarreling, and bad feelings about some of the inherited items. Several were hoping for Grandpa’s extensive coin collection or Grandma’s antique rocking chair. These situations negative...

We are finally done with winter in Wisconsin (I hope). The birds are singing and the flowers are blooming. As I breath the fresh spring air, I feel young again — for a few moments. But then I look in the mirror and am reminded that I am in the autumn of my life. And winter is just around the corner. However, the later seasons of our life should not be a time for despair, because Jesus is always th...

I fussed at my husband the other day for forgetting to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy. “You’re right,” he said. “I did forget. But did you notice that I hung the picture in the spare bedroom and filled the bird feeder?” I had to admit, I hadn’t. Sometimes, I treat God the way I treated my husband. When He fails to do what I hoped He’d do, I grumble. When He takes time answering my reques...

I pour another cup of tea and sit down to meet with God. Paging through a sheaf of prayer calendars from various missions and ministries, I lift those concerns to God. Lest I forget needs of friends and family when our women’s Bible study group meets, I list those in a small notebook. What an awe-inspiring privilege it is to “come boldly” into the presence of the God of the universe, bringing Him...

ENGLAND — April 28, 1789 — 236 years ago today. Captain William Bligh was set adrift on the open sea by mutineers to begin a 47-day, 3,600-mile trip to safety. Bligh and his few followers could have given up hope every day. They had limited daily rations, were wet, and exposed most of the time. But Bligh told stories and got his crew singing and praying. Growing older may seem like being set adrif...

“Prepare for the maybe.” The store banner highlighted the prediction of yet another hurricane to hit Florida. So, as we “prepared for the maybe” by filling the bathtub and counting batteries, we were grounded in the present by anticipating the future. Although the 2025 hurricane season approaches our area, one fact is shared by all older adults: focusing on the future is not always easy. During th...

Our journey through life has many seasons. Sometimes the seasons are celebratory, while others bring suffering. On occasion, the celebrations simultaneously occur with suffering. Regardless, our seasonal experiences of celebration and suffering are inevitable, especially as we grow older. God created us as social beings who celebrate and suffer with each other. We praise God during the celebratory...

I really enjoy food. I enjoy it a little too much, and because of that, I am not very good at knowing when to say when. I am not content with just one bite of a dessert. I want the whole pan. I can’t just eat enough for what my body needs. I want to stuff my face. As soon as I am done with one meal, I am looking forward to the next one. I am never quite content with my daily bread. I am always fou...

Hope springs eternal! I’ve said these words in a multitude of circumstances, especially when I’m facing something challenging. So, when our weather people in Fort Myers began reporting on hurricane Milton and the likely storm surge damage, I raised a silent prayer for wisdom and safety. Who better to talk with than our Abba? As numerous messages and emails crossed the wires asking about our plans,...

As children, we waited for the sure sign of spring: Wish flowers. Make a wish and blow! We wished for toys and treats. Expectations were low. As grown ups, we realize the only certainty in these wishes is more dandelions. Thankfully, we don’t rely on wishes for God’s promises. As children of God, we place our hope in the Lord. In Hebrews 6:19, Paul compared this hope to an anchor for our soul. It...

It was the annual Easter Egg Hunt at church. Kids with baskets eagerly lined up to find the most plastic eggs with candy inside. The leader announced, “Whoever finds the empty egg gets the grand prize!” The children were confused. Should they go for candy eggs or the grand prize? Confusion was part of that first Easter also. The women thought they would anoint a body, but instead found an empty to...

The Easter morning encounter in today’s verse seems almost amusingly casual. The two women named Mary meet the just-risen Jesus. “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” (Matthew 28:1) have just seen the empty tomb and heard an angel announce, “He has risen” (Matthew 28:5). Imagine their feelings when Jesus meets them with one cordial word, “Greetings!” With His presence and a simple word, Jesus fulfil...

A three-letter word can make all the difference in the world. The frightening call came late at night, “Your daughter has been in an auto accident. ... BUT she’s going to be okay.” Very early on that first Easter morning, the grieving women came to the alarming realization, “Who will roll away the stone? ... AND looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back” (Mark 16:3-4). Then they wer...

In the past three years, I have faced many challenges and heartaches. It’s been difficult in this long season of suffering to cultivate contentment. When hard things happen in our lives, it can be tempting to complain about them. We can focus more on what’s bad than on what’s good. However, with God’s help, we can cultivate contentment for simple things, which can start to shift our perspective. Y...

God created the world and established its seasons and rhythms. He commands the tides and storms. We rightly expect the stars, planets, sun, and moon to follow the patterns ordered by their Creator. That orderly pattern was disrupted when Jesus died on the cross. It was as if all of creation was mourning for its Creator as, in Jesus’ last hours, “the sun’s light failed” (Luke 23:45). When He breath...