Hope - the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best; a person or thing in which expectations are centered; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
Hope. We cannot lose HOPE. Hope is the very thing that drives me forward each day, each day striving to be brighter than the one before. I praise God for the light and hope He gives each day. Hope for our future with our son, hope for Liam's future and hope that today, despite our circumstances, we will find peace simply by being in the presence of the Lord.
Being a CHD parent has taught me MANY lessons regarding my faith....I know God has purposed this path for my family. Do we struggle? Yes. Do we cry out to God, angry, fearful and worried? Yes. My son suffers from his condition, and will continue to suffer throughout his LIFETIME, as all children with a CHD will. He will deal with his CHD everyday he is here on earth, for there is no cure, and his heart will never be a normal heart. This fact alone has potential to destroy any hope we may find. But we CHOOSE not to let it. We CHOOSE God's plans and promises for our life. For THINE is the Kingdom Power and Glory....not ours. We choose to TRUST God, so that he can give us hope and a future full of purpose.
This is a wonderful excerpt from the devotional book titled Jesus Calling, by Sara Young:
"I am CHRIST in YOU, the HOPE of GLORY. The One who walks beside you, holding you by your hand, is the same One who lives WITHIN you. This is a deep, unfathomable mystery. You and I are intertwined in an intimacy involving every fiber of your being. The Light of My Presence shines within you, as well as upon you. I am in you, and you are in Me; therefore, nothing in heaven or on earth can separate you from Me!
As you sit quietly in My Presence, your awareness of My Life within you is heightened. This produces the JOY of the Lord, which is your STRENGTH. I, the God of HOPE, fill you with all Joy and PEACE as you TRUST in Me, so that you may bubble over with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit." (p. 332, emphasis mine)
God has given us very tangible sources of hope here on earth. Our surgeon, Dr. Mendeloff, who has now performed 3 miraculous surgeries on our son. Advancing technology, soon it will provide less invasive procedures to help reduce the dependence on surgical intervention. Resources, charities, support groups who all help to advance awareness and funding for the CHD community and provide hope to other families struggling with a CHD diagnosis. Family and friends, who are our constant source of encouragement and love, you all have continually poured God's light and love on us and for that we are TRULY grateful, humbled and BLESSED. God is good. God is HOPE. Through Him, all things are possible.
Another great post Tara!
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