We Have Been Given the Promise of Hope!

Why do things happen as they do? Why are jobs lost? Why are relationships broken? Why do children get involved in drugs? Why do people have to suffer through painful illnesses? Why are children taken from us?

I won’t pretend that I can give you the answers to these mind-boggling questions. What you’re faced with right now is way too big, too overwhelming, too personal for anyone to step in and say they have the answers.

I can tell you this for a fact, though. You are not alone. God is alive, and He proves it over and over again by leaving His signature in all of life. Look to the mountains and see His majesty. Look to nature and feel His creation. Look into the eyes of a loved one and feel His breath of life.

We have been given the promise of hope, and of knowing that we are never alone. We are provided just the right amount of love, of faith, and of hope to carry us through the darkest times of our lives. Turn to Him. Trust Him. Listen to Him as He whispers words of love and strength to us every day. You can make it, and you will make it! Hope is alive and will carry your through! -- Clara Hinton

“Every new dawn delivers new hope.” --Clara Hinton

“To Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in Thee I trust.” -- Psalm 25:1

Hope Knows There Will Be A Better Tomorrow

Has life been a series of ups and downs lately? Have you been tossed to and fro in the sea of grief and feel like there is no way out of the churning waters? If so, then you are in need of some rest and replenishment. You are in need of some encouragement and a reminder of the sincere promise that there is joy beyond grief. You are in need of hope.

Hope is not pretending that there’s never any sorrow. It knows that our sorrows will not be this deep tomorrow. It’s knowing that we do have an inner strength to call on to help hold us together until our sorrow finds its proper place in our hearts where it also allows room for love, joy, and peace to abide. Hope knows that there will be a day when we will feel alive once again.

Look to the heavens and be filled with awe as you take in the majesty of nature. Look at the tiny butterfly fluttering around and understand that he is a reminder of hope and a new day. Look at the changing seasons and be reminded that every season has its place, and spring will arrive once
again. Be assured that you have not been left alone! --C. Hinton

“Claim a miracle just for you today and rest in the fact that hope is alive.” --Clara Hinton

“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” –Isaiah 40:31

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

When despondency creeps in and you feel like there is no way out of the dismal state that you’re in, it’s time to stop and look about you. Take in the sights and sounds of nature and be reminded Who made the earth and all that is within it. Remind yourself that every creature, both great and small, has meaning and is genuinely loved and cared for by his Creator. That means you, too!

Many times we fall into a state of feeling hopeless because our hearts hurt so much that we cannot ever imagine life without pain. Take time to reflect on past joys and remind yourself often of the rainbow. It is a promise of hope from our heavenly Father. Think of the butterfly that emerges out of the dark cocoon at exactly the right moment. Remind yourself that hope is stronger than your fear.

I, like you, have gone through times of despair and darkness in my own life. To help me remember that I have a loving Father who watches over me, I began planting and caring for flowers. I also photograph those flowers and scenes from nature and as I look at those pictures, I am reminded that hope is alive! Place visual reminders of hope all around you, and when you do you will feel your heart replenished and filled with new hope! --Clara Hinton

“A picture is worth a thousand words, so choose your pictures wisely.” --Clara Hinton

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” --John 14:27

Your Father is Always Watching Over You!

Has life let you down? Are you feeling alone in your pain? Do the clouds seem to remain hovering above your head like a constant threat of another impending storm? If so, then you are walking this path we call grief. It can be a long, hard walk, but……….the good news is that for every step you take, you are one step closer to finding a place of peace and rest and comfort in this “new normal” that you now must live.

Nature has beautiful displays of hope and inspiration that have been placed on this earth for us to use for comfort, shelter, and inspiration. There are trees that have been weather-beaten, yet they remain standing tall. There are flowers that have been stepped on, yet they bounce back. There are seeds that have been dropped and forgotten about, but they take root and bloom.

Remember that you, unlike the forgotten seed, have a Father watching over you who will never leave you alone. You have a special strength planted deep within your soul known as “hope” that will never leave you. Take time today to reflect on nature and feel the peace that overrides your sadness. Take a moment every day to allow your heart, mind, and eyes to soak up some of nature’s beauty and be encouraged. There is joy beyond this day of loss. There is peace to be found. There is a very special gift waiting for you. There is hope. –Clara Hinton

“A day with nature is a day of hope.” --Clara Hinton

“In quietness and trust is your strength.” --Isaiah 30:15b