Listen to the Whisper of God!

It’s the end of another year and so many thoughts go swirling through our minds. For many, it has been a difficult year – job loss, loss of friends, loss of a home, loss of health, and possibly one of the most lasting losses of all – the loss of a child. For some there will be no celebration at the end of the year – only a lot of tears for those dreams that were stolen away so unexpectedly.

How does a person move on? How can a person move into the New Year with joy when so much sorrow surrounds the heart? It’s not easy, but it helps to remind yourself often that you are never, ever alone in your pain. There are times when we feel alone, but the truth is that we are surrounded by hope and it is there for us whenever we call out for help.

Look at nature in any season and be reminded of the One who is in charge. Look at the majesty of the starry sky at night and know that you are counted among the stars. Listen to the sounds of the wind rustling through the trees and hear the whisper of God letting you know He is by your side. Look for the rainbow painting the sky and be assured that you have not been forgotten. Remind yourself often that hope is stronger than your pain! –Clara Hinton

“For every tear you cry, there is a seed of hope being watered.” --Clara Hinton

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me.” --Psalm 61:a

Trust, Wait, Hope! Your Day of Joy is Coming!

There is so much dismal talk about the economy, the sad state of affairs of the family, new illnesses being discovered weekly……..that it leaves a person feeling so discouraged and hopeless. Then, when the blow of the death of a child hits, it seems like the pain of this life is almost too much to bear.

Please remind yourself often that you have a Shepherd watching over you and He will never leave you alone. Your pain does not go unnoticed. In fact, every hair on your head is numbered. You are held close to the bosom of God – even when it doesn’t feel that way.

Look at the mighty heavens and remember who made them. Watch the babbling brook and remember who is in control. Cast away fear and be comforted by the fact that you are not alone. Others have walked your difficult, lonely path and are here to tell you that you will make it!!!!

There will be a day when something or someone will awaken the hope inside of you and you will know that you are going to feel life once again. There will be a day when you will rediscover joy, and it will be doubly sweet because you will see with new eyes and feel with a new heart. Trust. Wait. Hope! Your day of peace and joy is coming! --Clara Hinton

“My heart feels gratitude when I am filled with hope.” --Clara Hinton

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” --Psalm 23:1

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

The Winter of Loss Will Not Last Forever!

Part of the beauty of nature is found in the changing seasons. We know without a doubt that spring always follows winter, and with spring comes the indescribable beauty and joy of the plush green grass, springtime flowers in bloom, and the humming of birds. During the winter months, we anxiously await the coming of spring because we know with absolute assurance that spring will arrive.

And, so it is when we go through the winters in our lives. Following the cold, dark loneliness of winter that we experience when we go through loss, we can look with full assurance to the months ahead knowing that at just the right moment and in just the right way springtime will arrive. And, with spring will come new meaning, new peace, and a new sense of the beauty of life.

Can we extend the same trust in our loss that we extend to the knowledge of the arrival of spring? Can we watch the flowers blooming in spring and wait for the flowers to bloom in the garden of our heart once again? Can we trust saying an earthly good-bye to our loved ones knowing that they will still continue to be present with us and continue to love us? Can we rest in the knowledge that our love will continue to grow because we are grounded in faith and hope?

The winter of loss will not last forever. Hold on to the hope that your season of spring is soon to come! -Clara Hinton

“In the changing of the seasons, I find new hope.” -- Clara Hinton

“ There is an appointed time for everything. And, there is a time for every event under the heaven……….a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Jer. 3:1, 4