Happy New Year 2022! HOPE AGAIN!
Wow. It’s been a minute since I have written a post. Can you believe that it’s now a brand-new year?! 2021 was a blur yet it has taught me so much about myself in the midst of opposition. I don’t know what the previous year was like for you but for me it certainly was a year full of ups and downs. Praise reports and not so good ones. Of excitement and disappointment. If you live on planet earth, I can assume correctly that your 2021 went a lot like this. However, if you also live on planet earth and you know who you are in Christ and Who your God is then I can also assume correctly that you stood on the Word of God stronger than ever before and you walk through the storms of life with Jesus by your side. Am I correct? Because that’s what exactly happened to me. I’m still standing. You’re still standing. You’re still here. I’m still here. The enemy didn’t have the last say. God did. That’s something to smile about. To dance about. To give thanks about! Hallelujah! What life taught us in 2021 we can stand and implement it into 2022. As a steppingstone going higher and higher in The Lord, in our purposes, in our lives etc.
I was praying and asking The Lord to see what He would like for me to write about. The first one I feel sets the tone for the others to come. At first, I should write upon the topic of “Restoration”. Our God is the God of restoration for sure no doubt about it! I felt yes but not now from Him. He shifted my focus to from making things new to having a quiet confident hope in The Lord. Hope. That’s the first topic this year. What does hope in The Lord mean? We see in our Bibles there are many verses that say, “Hope in The Lord”. What does it look like when our lives get shaky, dark out of control, when someone tries to take control, when the unthinkable happens etc. What do we do? Who do we go to for help? Who do we put our trust in? Who do we put our hope in? Who do we lean on when delay after delay happens whether it’s a dark gloomy situation or trying to get a dream off the ground? When the rubber hits the road who or what do we cling to when things aren’t going as well as we would like? I feel The Lord wants to tell people as many who can hear that whatever setbacks, delays, disappointments, no’s, dreams that happened last year or the year before that God says “HOPE IN ME!!”
I was going through a rough time in 2021 of meeting with lawyer after lawyer regarding my family’s inheritance through my earthly father’s business which was stolen from us. Let’s just say that The Lord had opened my family’s eyes to see that they are a lot of disloyal people out there even in our legal system. One by one we had put our hope in a person who we thought would help us in our case of rightful duty but sadly to say each one not only was dishonest but snagged away at our pocketbooks as well. I never felt the temptation to feel so helpless in my life. All the hard and long years my father has worked for and sacrifice not only to make his dream come true but his family’s dream as well. When we go through life and do what only we can do and all we get is blow after blow is like a boxer going down for the count. It looks like you can only take so much then you tell yourself it’s hopeless why try anymore. My family and I have been there many times. But guess what? We are still in the ring ready to go another round.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:18
Why? Why are we (my family) getting back up again? God’s word says, “There is a future hope”. Why are we still in the ringer? God’s word says, “Your hope won’t be cut off”. Why are we still hoping that God will give us justice just like He said? Because He is The God of hope and He is the One who gives us hope. He gives you, me and everyone hope to endure to the end. It is a gift and it is our anchor. This isn’t any hope or wishful thinking this is a hope from God so that we can hope in The One who makes all things possible. Not only that but to hope in the Defender of your life and mine. There’s a devil out there who only “Steals, kills and destroys” John 10:10 and is working overtime to lose hope in God’s promises and what He is calling us to do. Let me encourage you and myself that there’s something so glorious on the other side for us! That’s why there is so much warfare! If we can keep on and not give up. We will break through the other side Galatians 6:9. Jesus promises us that our hope will not be cut off that is why in the story of Abraham he hoped against hope (Romans 4:18). My prayer tonight is that we as God’s children will dare to hope again, to dream again, to love again, to walk again and stand on Gods promises again. Remember with God ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Cheers to you, cheers to your loved ones, cheers to me, thank you 2021 and all you have taught me. I welcome 2022 with strength and grace in Jesus Christ. Lead us O Lord in that future You have for us!
All my love,
Ashley
