in my quiet times...or any other time during the day really... God keeps asking me "Child, where is your hope?" that i must say is a good question God.

hope:
-To have confidence; trust.
there is even a definitition refering to Christian hope:
-often Hope Christianity. The theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God's help.

how many times have you gotten so wraped up in lives storms? drowned in the crashing waves below? how many times have you lost your hope--that confident assurance of the FAITH we have in Christ? (hebrews 10:22) i know that for me it seems like it is so easy to do whenever i feel like something "bad" is happening to me. yes, i turn to God, but i feel burdened... i drown, so to speak, in the crashing waves--- get lost in the storm. life isn't going to be easy, that is a given. especially for us christians, we are fighting a spiritual battle daily. BUT, because we are christians we have HOPE. we should know and believe that God is in control. trust Him despite what circumstances bring us down. He takes care of every living thing. and you are far more valuable than the flowers or birds... and He will take care of you. we have victory in Christ!!! that alone should give us hope. we should have confidence that God will take care of us. God is our shield--he will meet all of our needs. let your hope rest not on your circumstances, but on God. always having hope and joy despite what is going on because you know that God is in control and that he truly is God. i love that second defintion. "NOT IMPOSSIBLE...WITH GOD'S HELP" he is God, and anything is possible with Him. keep your eyes locked on Him. never let Him out of your sight.
don't be like the children of darkness by hardening your hearts, live as children of the light and hope. (eph. 4:17-24)

"we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE. and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" -romans 5:3-5

i really don't know if that made any kind of sense at all... but there you go... i just thougt you might like to know what God is trying to teach me.

i hope that everyone has a great night. big stuf is the day after tomorrow... even if it does storm (ok maybe not a hurricane...) then it will still be awesome! it is not about the beach, even though it is beautiful, it is about God. that is why we go to things like that--to experience God. let Him captivate your heart!