Today 63 year old Nebraska farmer Kurt Kaser is minus part of his left leg but heavy on the plus side when it comes to optimism for his return to walking and working his large farm after physical therapy and a prosthetic leg.

His amazing attitude and presence of mind served him well a few weeks ago when he performed his own leg amputation with a small pocketknife to free himself from farm equipment in which he was accidentally caught. This desperate action showed amazing courage and strength that resulted in his survival. It shows hope, too, I believe.

Mr. Kaser surely found hope from deep within to do what had to be done if he were to survive. He did the unthinkable then remained conscious, crawled a surprising distance, and reached help to be life-flighted to medical care. Mr. Kaser, I’m thankful you survived.

I think a deep-rooted hope helps you to do more than survive. I am confident that you excel in being the salt-of-the-earth kind of man who gets the job done. You don’t quit until the crop is in the barn, so to speak, as you have learned by decades of hard work and often difficult farmlife.

Friends and neighbors can surely count on you and would declare you to be a dependable man. If I am ever in a desperate life-or-death situation, then I hope someone like you is beside me.

May God bless you as you follow your plans to continue farming and living life to the fullest.

“Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” (Hebrews 2:18)

“Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious. I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

If you have read Tolstoy’s novel ANNA KARENINA, then you know it is rich with ingredients of life on this planet. He wrote of life, death, love, hate, marriage,
infidelity, regret….

You may have sensed this brilliant author compared Anna’s life with light when he wrote, “And the candle… flickered, grew dim, and went out forever.”

Considering the novel’s ending may not fill readers with hope. However I was reminded of another — and much better — comparison of Someone with light.

Unlike a novel the Bible is a source of truth about the life of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. He brings hope to an otherwise hopeless world. A dark world needs this Light, and a dying world needs the life He brings.

Unlike a fictional character’s comparison to light, the Light of Jesus Christ will never go out, never flicker nor dim, because He’s Eternal. As Light of the World, His light shines on the path and shows the Way.  He offers light, hope, and life to the world… 

He’s the Light to shine on believers’ hearts and then reflect His light to the world to show His Way for others to follow. He’s the Light that removes the darkness that hides hope from hearts.

In the “final chapter” of a believer’s life, He is the Light that is Hope realized forever. Readers of ANNA KARENINA may not jump ahead to read the ending before reading through the story, but it’s gratifying at any time to read the final book of the Bible, the Revelation, where the Light of the World — the Alpha and Omega — is the Hope to the World.

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.’” (John 8:12)

In case you missed the news on May 6, a new baby became an official citizen of Planet Earth. Such a blessing was delivered to Britain’s royal family! Welcome, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor; congratulations, Prince Harry; and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, Duchess of Sussex!

Births — new lives — give hope. The future with its potential and possibilities is where hope is realized. This baby boy has a future ahead of him, and many prayers are being voiced for his good and for those responsible for his upbringing in this imperfect world.

May his spiritual teaching be a priority for his parents to be remembered as he receives instruction and training in academic education and royal responsibilities. He will likely experience the best this world offers, and with help from his loving parents and other caring attendants, it is anticipated that he will offer this world his best in return.

For a baby there is nothing but hope in his or her future. Even more important than a position in royalty is to grow up to realize a position as a child of the King of Kings. In that identity one will know the greatest hope known on earth or in heaven. Citizenship in heaven is far more privileged than that of any royal lineage on earth.

 

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139: 13-16)

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them….” (Psalm 127: 3-5)

“Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22: 6)

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Deut 6: 5-7)

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8: 36, 37)

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Rom 15: 31)

A man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot)

I am so thankful for my mother. She was the one person on this planet most responsible for my understanding of God, His love, and the Way of salvation. She taught me Bible stories during years of my earliest recollections, had me in a Bible-preaching and -teaching church every Sunday, and faithfully modeled the life of a believer in Christ.

I remember wall decor hanging in my childhood home that read, “LOVE NEVER FAILS.” On her mother’s wall another  read, “GOD IS LOVE.” Although my maternal grandmother died when I was a child, I remember experiencing the same motherly love from Granny as from Momma. How precious to have two such women in my life during my formative years!

Each message on the wall led me to ponder its truth. Momma believed it; I believed it. There was no reason for me not to. Then years later when difficult times came as usually happen in life, the truths were realized and proven time after time.  I learned that indeed God IS love and Love NEVER fails.

Those few words on simple wall decor gave and still give me hope. Life lessons taught by my mother filled my young life with hope and still give me hope even as I am now older than she lived to be.

When she was terminally ill with cancer, I witnessed her faith in One Who is Love as He provided grace and peace that passed all human understanding. Her spirit was strengthened by One Who never fails, the One Who never left her alone. She received the ultimate healing by the Great Physician and was ushered into heaven.

Only in my mid-twenties, I experienced this huge personal loss but was left with hope. I am confident that I will see her again, because I believe in eternal life after this life as taught in God’s Holy Bible.

The God Who is Love loved humanity so much that He gave His Son to be the Savior of the world. Jesus Who never fails was the Sacrifice Who accomplished the redemption that saves my soul for eternity. I thank God that He chose my mother to lead me to accept Him many years ago. I still believe the message on a wall that offers words of hope: God is Love and Love never fails.

“Beloved, let us love one another for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God for God is love.” (1 John 4:7,8)

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

“Love never fails….” (1 Corinthians 13:8)

“All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother.” (Abraham Lincoln)