“Our hope is not determined by the outcome but by our outlook.”
Pastor Henry Seely

This week we are saying good-bye to our sweet friend. Andy will be greatly missed and I can’t imagine a world without him.

What do I do when it didn’t turn out the way I hoped?! Over the years my response has changed. I used to get angry and think God was mean, picking and choosing who got healed or blessed. I had a hard time reconciling my belief that He could do anything and was sovereign to the disappointment and confusion when the outcome was different that I hoped and prayed for.

As I grew in my relationship with Him, I learned of His great care and love for me. I saw His protection and provision over and over. I learned that He is good and I could trust Him. I would have freak out moments, but He never turned away and continually drew me closer to Himself.

My freak out moments are fewer, but they still happen… hello crazy, dumpster-fire of a world. But my trust and hope is in my Loving, Living Father who loves me and not only provided a way for me to be with Him eternally, but every day!!!!

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for it’s own time.
He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so,
people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11

This verse comes after the “there is a time for …” section. (Ecc.3:1-8) Our lives are set up in seasons. There is a season for each of us to be born, die and all the messy parts of life in the middle.

When we are eternally-minded we can trust in and hope for God’s plan, not what we see happening around us. We can know He made each season or time in life beautiful in it’s own way, even if it’s a painful season.

Through each painful season I have walked through, I have come to know more about God’s love and graciousness for me. I know more and more how much I can trust Him, even if I have to say good-bye to a loved one or not see a healing the way I would like it to happen.

Where is our hope? Are we solely looking for and will only be happy if the outcome is what we want? OR can we have trust that even in our worst nightmare God is there? And not only is He with us, but that He will make it beautiful and a part of His eternal plan?

No, this life is not easy and is often painful but God is good. His plan is good. His love is forever and His grace will cover us no matter what we are walking through.

I can hold both grief and joy in the same hand because I believe that Jesus and Heaven are real and that’s where my hope is.

And may knowing that bring you peace.
He is with you. He is for you. He loves you. He sees you.

Have a God-infused day of hope and peace.
All My Love ~
Jodi xoxo

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary;
but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18