Dwell in Hope

Joyful Reunions

Another high school reunion is coming soon! Since our last reunion five years ago, two close friends from the planning committee are now with their Lord. They will be missed. Reunions can be both happy and awkward. As our memories fade and age lines appear, we don’t recognize as many faces or know what they have been through. However, we do know that God says we will see our loved ones and have a reunion with them someday in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17). It is a joyful promise for people of faith! What makes heaven even more joyful is that it is not just a reunion with loved ones — it is also a reunion with Jesus who made it all possible! Jesus’ death on the cross and the empty tomb are what give us eternal life by God’s grace!

A New Purpose

While raising four very active boys who were involved in various sports and activities, I was constantly on the go. A regimented schedule during their school years was a must. Housekeeping, schoolwork, meal prepping, and countless hours in the car were my daily rituals. And I loved every minute of this very purposeful life. Then, my youngest son went to college. I felt a deep sense of loss. My purpose in life was over. I felt that I was no longer needed. I grieved the person I was. What I wasn’t prepared for were the many opportunities the Lord brought into my life. A new career was set before me, more meaningful time with my husband, uninterrupted devotional time, and now, grandchildren! Trusting that God has a plan for my future brings me comfort, joy, and peace as I look forward to a new purpose and plan for my life.

The Stubborn Dahlia

Dahlias resist my efforts to produce the blooms I want. My last effort laughed at me, then withered. But later what I thought was dead pushed through the soil and produced orange petals. When I watered my other plants, the dahlia also benefited from refreshment. I couldn’t see what happened under the ground, but the roots absorbed water and nourished the plant. This dahlia was stubborn enough to resist death. Sometimes our goals feel like my flower. Nothing happens. Our desires die. But God has other plans. He tells us not to grow weary in well doing and we will reap a harvest. We can’t see what the Lord does behind the scenes in the spiritual world. Our part is to continue to nourish our souls with the water of the Word. When we are stubborn enough to resist giving up, the Father’s resurrection power will bring new life to our efforts.

Dandelion Wisdom

A controlled burn had left a blackened expanse near a hiking trail. Like a single star in a night sky, a golden blossom shone from its midst — a lowly but durable dandelion, its life sustained by its deep root. Its whorl of green leaves offered nourishment. When its golden head, like most of ours, turned gray, it would scatter its seeds — like the Word of God — on the breeze. We can learn much from this unassuming plant! Root deeply in God’s Word, sustain others from the life He gives, and send His truth everywhere we can, even as we age!

A Gift-Filled Table

What a gift to find a birthday breakfast on the dining room table — poached eggs, bacon, toast, strawberries, and hot coffee. My husband had prepared delicious food and the surprise of pink roses. Psalm 23:5 tells us God prepares a table for us. When we pull up a chair to His table in prayer and Bible study, we find the gift of His presence. In our time with Him, we can exchange fear for the gift of faith, anxiety for comfort, and despair for hope. God’s gift-filled table of blessings assures us of His presence and strengthens us to walk with Jesus in joy and hope. And if we look, we’ll see He gives us unexpected gifts like sunsets and pink roses, too.