Today is a brand new day, yet when our hearts are hurting nothing seems to feel right. The thrill of unwrapping the gifts of a new day isn’t there, and our hearts seem to fill with only loneliness and pain. We are left wondering when we will get our enthusiasm back for life. When will our joy return? When will we be filled with a song in our heart?
Grief is a hard word to say, and it is even more difficult to understand. When grief knocks on the door of our heart we know it is there because we can feel the raw pain that so suddenly overtook us. However, grief leaves us very slowly and we often don’t realize that our unwelcome guest is inching its way out of the door of our heart until is has been replaced by the wonderful blessing of hope.
Every time we look at a butterfly or the colors of a rainbow, we take one step closer to hope. Each time we feel the warmth of the sunshine upon our face, we grow closer to recognizing the miracle of a brand new day. For every flower that we see bloom, we push aside one sad thought and allow space for a bright, new thought of hope to visit our heart.
Grief is a difficult journey, but we have not been left alone. God has placed his signature of hope in the morning sky, in the twinkling of the evening stars, and in every soft whisper of the wind He has given us the assurance of His love by showing us all of His creation. He is our Shepherd, and we are His sheep. His tender care will carry us through every dark valley into the green pastures where we will find rest and replenishment.
Hope is alive, and every day we are receiving the gift of hope. One day we will wake up with a song on our heart and we will know for sure that hope has arrived! --Clara Hinton
“When I look to the heavens my heart remembers that God is a mighty God, and He loves me forever.” --Clara Hinton
“I have written your name on my hand.” --Isaiah 49:16
Monday, January 29, 2007
Monday, January 8, 2007
Every Sunrise is a Gift of Hope
Will today be the day that the clouds of despair begin to lift? Every time we are greeted by a new sunrise, we are given the gift of new hope. We never know exactly when that special smile or kind word will be sent our way, but we can be certain that it will arrive at just the right moment to help ease the pain of our broken heart.
When grief becomes part of our lives, we are suddenly living in a world that seems lonely and barren. There is nothing at all that looks, smells, feels, tastes, or sounds familiar. We find ourselves wandering in circles, not knowing where we are going. All we know is that we want to go back to that place in life where things felt safe, happy, and secure. Yet, we know that we can’t.
God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us a universal language that can be understood by all. It is the language of love, and can be spoken and understood by everyone. When we are grieving, though, we often don’t hear anything that is spoken because our hearts are too heavy to listen. That’s why God gave us very real symbols of His love.
Listen to the peaceful sound of the babbling brook and feel the gentle touch of God’s love. Smell the fresh air following a soft rain and understand that you will be renewed following the falling of your tears. Watch the clouds part to display the rainbow following a storm and be reminded of the promises of God. Watch the lips of a stranger passing by form a smile and you will feel the warmth of someone who cares.
Every time your heart is touched by God’s love, a bit more hope grows within your heart until one day you will find you are no longer a stranger in a foreign land. Instead, you are a beautiful flower blooming among a field of many wonderful friends. Hope has made you alive again! –Clara Hinton
“When your heart is touched by God’s love, hope grows.” –C. Hinton
“Thou art my hope.” --Psalm 71:5a
When grief becomes part of our lives, we are suddenly living in a world that seems lonely and barren. There is nothing at all that looks, smells, feels, tastes, or sounds familiar. We find ourselves wandering in circles, not knowing where we are going. All we know is that we want to go back to that place in life where things felt safe, happy, and secure. Yet, we know that we can’t.
God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us a universal language that can be understood by all. It is the language of love, and can be spoken and understood by everyone. When we are grieving, though, we often don’t hear anything that is spoken because our hearts are too heavy to listen. That’s why God gave us very real symbols of His love.
Listen to the peaceful sound of the babbling brook and feel the gentle touch of God’s love. Smell the fresh air following a soft rain and understand that you will be renewed following the falling of your tears. Watch the clouds part to display the rainbow following a storm and be reminded of the promises of God. Watch the lips of a stranger passing by form a smile and you will feel the warmth of someone who cares.
Every time your heart is touched by God’s love, a bit more hope grows within your heart until one day you will find you are no longer a stranger in a foreign land. Instead, you are a beautiful flower blooming among a field of many wonderful friends. Hope has made you alive again! –Clara Hinton
“When your heart is touched by God’s love, hope grows.” –C. Hinton
“Thou art my hope.” --Psalm 71:5a
Monday, January 1, 2007
Every New Sunrise is a Gift of Hope!
A brand new year has arrived! For many, this is an exciting time of setting new goals and looking forward to the coming year with enthusiasm and the anticipation of having the best year ever!
Reality often settles in very shortly after the New Year, though, serving as a reminder that last year’s bills are still unpaid, the health diagnosis has not changed, and the broken relationship has not been restored. Unresolved grief issues loom heavily on the heart, and the joy of the New Year quickly disappears instead ushering in waves of loneliness, discouragement, and fear.
Rather than thinking in big terms such as an entire year, it helps to chunk life down into measurable moments that are not so overwhelming. We can be joyful for one hour. We can be filled with hopeful anticipation for one day. We can be thankful for our blessings this moment.
Thinking in smaller segments of time helps the grieving heart to cope with today’s pain and gives enough energy to wake up feeling ready to tackle one more day. A grieving heart needs time to find the rainbow. A heart that feels lost needs time to catch the shimmering star shining through the dark night. A heart that is lonely needs time to change focus in order to see the miracle found in the daily sunrise.
Be patient with yourself, and approach this New Year one day at a time. Look for signs of springtime following the harsh, cold winter. Watch for the rainbow that spreads its array of colors across the sky. Listen to the sounds of nature and know that God is near.
Remind yourself daily that you have not entered the unknown territory of this New Year alone. Your heavenly Father is right by your side taking care of your every need! –Clara Hinton
“Every new sunrise is a gift of hope just for you.” --C. Hinton
“My hope is in Thee.” --Psalm 39:7b
Reality often settles in very shortly after the New Year, though, serving as a reminder that last year’s bills are still unpaid, the health diagnosis has not changed, and the broken relationship has not been restored. Unresolved grief issues loom heavily on the heart, and the joy of the New Year quickly disappears instead ushering in waves of loneliness, discouragement, and fear.
Rather than thinking in big terms such as an entire year, it helps to chunk life down into measurable moments that are not so overwhelming. We can be joyful for one hour. We can be filled with hopeful anticipation for one day. We can be thankful for our blessings this moment.
Thinking in smaller segments of time helps the grieving heart to cope with today’s pain and gives enough energy to wake up feeling ready to tackle one more day. A grieving heart needs time to find the rainbow. A heart that feels lost needs time to catch the shimmering star shining through the dark night. A heart that is lonely needs time to change focus in order to see the miracle found in the daily sunrise.
Be patient with yourself, and approach this New Year one day at a time. Look for signs of springtime following the harsh, cold winter. Watch for the rainbow that spreads its array of colors across the sky. Listen to the sounds of nature and know that God is near.
Remind yourself daily that you have not entered the unknown territory of this New Year alone. Your heavenly Father is right by your side taking care of your every need! –Clara Hinton
“Every new sunrise is a gift of hope just for you.” --C. Hinton
“My hope is in Thee.” --Psalm 39:7b
Monday, December 18, 2006
When the Unexplainable Happens
Sometimes things happen in our lives that are so hard to understand. A car accident that takes a life. A house fire that destroys everything. A healthy, active person that suddenly becomes ill with a terminal disease. The company downsizes and many jobs are lost, yours included. Your world comes to a screeching halt when your child dies.
There are no words to explain such painful circumstances. It takes lots of faith to work through the days of lost dreams, unrest, and brokenness. When the world you once knew suddenly becomes foreign territory, it’s hard to stay focused and look to the future with hope.
God, in His wisdom and love, knew that we would need reminders of His presence with us during our moments of despair. We have only to look at the rainbow stretching across the expanse of the heavens to know that His promises are still true. When we watch the stars twinkling in the moonlit sky we can feel His presence in our darkest hour. When only our tears will fall, we can look at the morning sun breaking through the clouds and know that soon our tears will be dried.
God is our Father, and even though we don’t always understand the pain that comes into our lives, we can trust Him to pull us close and give us shelter through the storm. God is a deeply personal Father and Friend, and He will bless us individually according to our needs.
Hope is alive within the heart of everyone, and is awakened right at the exact moment when we need it most. That is a promise we can count on! -- Clara Hinton
“Sometimes it takes a lot of rain before we see the rainbow. Don’t give up! Your rainbow is there!” --Clara Hinton
“We walk by faith, not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7
There are no words to explain such painful circumstances. It takes lots of faith to work through the days of lost dreams, unrest, and brokenness. When the world you once knew suddenly becomes foreign territory, it’s hard to stay focused and look to the future with hope.
God, in His wisdom and love, knew that we would need reminders of His presence with us during our moments of despair. We have only to look at the rainbow stretching across the expanse of the heavens to know that His promises are still true. When we watch the stars twinkling in the moonlit sky we can feel His presence in our darkest hour. When only our tears will fall, we can look at the morning sun breaking through the clouds and know that soon our tears will be dried.
God is our Father, and even though we don’t always understand the pain that comes into our lives, we can trust Him to pull us close and give us shelter through the storm. God is a deeply personal Father and Friend, and He will bless us individually according to our needs.
Hope is alive within the heart of everyone, and is awakened right at the exact moment when we need it most. That is a promise we can count on! -- Clara Hinton
“Sometimes it takes a lot of rain before we see the rainbow. Don’t give up! Your rainbow is there!” --Clara Hinton
“We walk by faith, not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7
Monday, November 27, 2006
Hope is Alive!
Sometimes all we want to know is when the lonely ache of loss is going to go away. We never knew that anything could hurt this deep and this long, and we seek answers to find some relief. How will I know when I am beginning to find some healing? What can I do today to make this pain feel better? How do I get back my zest for living? When will the world feel like a safe, happy place again?
Loss changes everything about our “normal” in an instant. Suddenly our world feels upside down and out of control. Our thoughts race, but they only fall into a dark tunnel of fear and loneliness. Nothing seems to fit any more. The pain of loss is everywhere.
There is no easy way to explain how healing takes place except by saying that when the seeds of hope begin to sprout, life begins to once again have meaning. Hope is not pretending that there isn’t any sorrow. Rather, hope is calling on that inner strength that is part of each of us to sustain us until we gradually find happiness again.
There is strength found in everyday things . . . . . smiles, kind words, the warm rays of sunshine, the listening ear of a friend. Even the far away sounds of the songbird whistling a thankful tune can begin to unleash that inner strength found in hope.
Be assured that hope is alive, and it is gently tending to the needs of your heart. The day will arrive when you will know that joy has filled your soul once again! --Clara Hinton
“Hope always arrives on time with a special song for the heart.” --Clara Hinton
“For I hope in Thee, O Lord; Thou wilt answer, O Lord, my God.” --Psalm 38:15
Loss changes everything about our “normal” in an instant. Suddenly our world feels upside down and out of control. Our thoughts race, but they only fall into a dark tunnel of fear and loneliness. Nothing seems to fit any more. The pain of loss is everywhere.
There is no easy way to explain how healing takes place except by saying that when the seeds of hope begin to sprout, life begins to once again have meaning. Hope is not pretending that there isn’t any sorrow. Rather, hope is calling on that inner strength that is part of each of us to sustain us until we gradually find happiness again.
There is strength found in everyday things . . . . . smiles, kind words, the warm rays of sunshine, the listening ear of a friend. Even the far away sounds of the songbird whistling a thankful tune can begin to unleash that inner strength found in hope.
Be assured that hope is alive, and it is gently tending to the needs of your heart. The day will arrive when you will know that joy has filled your soul once again! --Clara Hinton
“Hope always arrives on time with a special song for the heart.” --Clara Hinton
“For I hope in Thee, O Lord; Thou wilt answer, O Lord, my God.” --Psalm 38:15
Monday, November 20, 2006
Thanksgiving Day -- How to say "Thank You" when in Pain
Thanksgiving is a holiday that is focused on giving God thanks for all of our many blessings. This is a family oriented holiday, and one where most families take time out to gather around the table, bow their heads, and speak gracious words of praise and thanks for all of the abundance we have in our lives.
The reality of life is that on this Thanksgiving Day many people will suffer some of the greatest pain known to all of mankind. Loneliness. Depression. Isolation. Rejection. Broken relationships. Job loss. Hunger. Mental, physical, and emotional fatigue. And, the worst pain of all – the loss of a loved one. Not everyone will be able to sincerely say “thank you” for the abundance of blessings when going through the heavy trials of life.
As we approach Thanksgiving Day, may our hearts be constantly reminded that we have not been left alone in our sorrow. We have only to fix our gaze on the rising of the sun to know that God is right beside us ushering in each new day. As we listen to the babbling brook we can hear His voice gently calming our broken spirit with reminders that His strength is mightier than any problem.
Being thankful during times of pain is not easy, yet it can be done. It must be done in order to experience the peace that is beyond all human understanding. Often, it is in our brokenness that we can feel God’s personal touch in our lives. What a blessing to know that He cares. What a comfort to close our eyes at the end of each day and know with full assurance that God is holding us close! -- C. Hinton
“Thankfulness is a by-product of hope.” --Clara Hinton
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -- Romans 8:38-39
The reality of life is that on this Thanksgiving Day many people will suffer some of the greatest pain known to all of mankind. Loneliness. Depression. Isolation. Rejection. Broken relationships. Job loss. Hunger. Mental, physical, and emotional fatigue. And, the worst pain of all – the loss of a loved one. Not everyone will be able to sincerely say “thank you” for the abundance of blessings when going through the heavy trials of life.
As we approach Thanksgiving Day, may our hearts be constantly reminded that we have not been left alone in our sorrow. We have only to fix our gaze on the rising of the sun to know that God is right beside us ushering in each new day. As we listen to the babbling brook we can hear His voice gently calming our broken spirit with reminders that His strength is mightier than any problem.
Being thankful during times of pain is not easy, yet it can be done. It must be done in order to experience the peace that is beyond all human understanding. Often, it is in our brokenness that we can feel God’s personal touch in our lives. What a blessing to know that He cares. What a comfort to close our eyes at the end of each day and know with full assurance that God is holding us close! -- C. Hinton
“Thankfulness is a by-product of hope.” --Clara Hinton
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -- Romans 8:38-39
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
