Hope, a Light to Peace- A Plan for 2018

Have you begun to plan for 2018? Have you decided on the plans to carry forward into 2018 and what plans to let go of?

Well, as plans begin to come together for And He Restoreth My Soul Project, decisions were made which created a common thread “Hope, a Light to Peace.”  Or maybe just the word Hope!

As I reviewed prior articles, I could see Hope coming through each article. But my question was ”how can Hope become a central idea and message of the website?”  Thus, a plan to commission prayers and poems wrote especially for And He Restoreth My Soul Project was started.

By now you may be wondering “Why Hope and why now?”

This is a fair question. But to understand why Hope is important to me now. I need to tell you how I see life when abuse is infused and begins to create problems which are sometimes unbearable for the victim.

As you know, abuse of any type ushers in darkness. Darkness filled with shame, guilt, torture, anger, self-doubt, etc. And once darkness claims its place in our hearts and minds, hopelessness moves in, and together they claim the heart of the victim as its own. But the question each victim must face is “Will I go _____, or Will I stay ______?” And because of this question, the dialog begins.

Hopelessness vs. Hope

This dialog is between two strong characters fighting hard to win a battle. Hopelessness speaks “I will not hide” because I live front and center for all to see. Yet your friends and family members will miss your tell-tale signs.  Again Hopelessness speaks “I will see you in your dreams because I get to turn your dreams into nightmares.” And at what may be the end Hopelessness speaks loudly “I am a never-ending pit coldness, and darkness waiting to bring you to myself.”  But Hope speaks, “NO because I have something to say!”

Hope speaks “I am about your future and not your past.” Hope speaks again “I’m about miracles and promises.” Again Hope speaks “please hear me because there is an answer to all your questions but you must understand that I am about waiting too.” Lastly, Hope says “I come with certainty because of who you believe in and because of who you trust. And  Hope WINS the battle!

Hope wins in this scenario, but Hope doesn’t always win. Sometimes hopelessness wins, and the outcome is often very sad. For this reason, we need to know in whom we place our hope. Like Abraham. “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Romans 4:8 (NIV)

Abraham and Sarah were old and beyond childbearing age. But he believed God because God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations. This is a miracle by any standards.

We are all challenged at times to remember what Hope is all about.  Hope is about miracles, certainty, and a future. But for survivors, the challenge to remember is sometimes hard because the path that heals is narrow, bumpy, and hard to travel. But if Hope loses its battle the victim may not believe there is a path that leads to a future that lies just beyond.

My best to you throughout 2018!

Darlene J. Harris, Serving at the pleasure of God!

Pastor Fogleman served as the Assistant Pastor and Counselor at Third Baptist Church in Santa Ana, CA. In addition, Pastor Marv endorsed And He Restoreth My Soul, an Anthology Resource.

Pastor Marv, thank you, for your friendship and support in ministry and for your beautiful words of prayer.

Our Father and our God, thank you for your promise that you would be close to the brokenhearted and those whose spirit has been crushed.  We lift up our broken hearts and crushed spirits.  We know that you care about each heartache.  We know that when we weep, You weep with us.  We know that You will bring us comfort and direction in our darkest hours.  So we rejoice in Your plans for us and Your provisions for us.  Thank you that we are never alone.  Thank you that there is no pit so deep, that You are not deeper still.  Thank you that all of Your promises belong to us and are available to each of us as we depend upon You and Your wonderful Word.  We commit ourselves to You and Your kind intentions for us.

In Jesus’ strong name,

Amen