“If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope.

If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower, then you still have hope.

If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, then you still have hope.

If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, then you still have hope.

If you can see the good in other people, then you still have hope.

If the rain beating on a rooftop can still lull you to sleep, then you still have hope.

If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder, then you still have hope.

If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope.

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism, then you still have hope.

If you give people the benefit of a doubt, then you still have hope.

If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope.

If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.

If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration, then you still have hope.

If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope.

If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection, then you still have hope.

If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree or turkey, then you still have hope.

If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope.

If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope.

If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase,’…yeah, BUT…’ then you still have hope.“

(Original source unknown)

“There is a peace that springs soon after sorrow,
Of hope surrendered not of hope fulfilled;
A peace that does not look upon tomorrow,
But calmly on the storm that it has stilled.
A peace that lives not now in joy’s excesses,
Nor in the happy life of love secure; But in the unerring strength the heart possesses,
Of conflicts won while learning to endure.” (Lettie Cowman)

Sometimes life seems hopeless during those very hard times when “hope must be surrendered.” I am thankful for a book that truly brings hope and touches my heart as few books have. It is STREAMS in the DESERT by Lettie Burd Cowman (published as Mrs. Charles Cowman).

It was introduced to me in the 1980’s by a friend, and I have been blessed so much by it that I have given copies through the years in hopes of blessing others.

After years of significant missionary work in Japan, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cowman were forced to return home to America due to his major health decline. Charles suffered his physical pain, and Lettie suffered emotional pain as he slowly died. During this time she wrote the daily devotional that came from her personal experiences of both bitter difficulties and sweet fellowship with God.

The source of the book’s title is Isaiah 35:6: “Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” Each day’s thought-provoking reading includes an inspiring Bible passage and another author’s uplifting quotation.

This book is a best-seller, was translated in 15 languages, and has been reprinted many times. After all, who doesn’t suffer and need a message of hope that God has purpose even in suffering? Lettie frequently declared that she did not write the book; God gave it. Through STREAMS in the DESERT He has given much hope, and I have been a recipient of hope found within its pages.

I challenge readers, especially those needing hope, to read one of the short daily devotions in this book each day for one year. I think you will agree that this valuable resource is indeed full of hope.

Unfortunately we are all aware that sometimes the business world includes harsh realities. However there is one family working passionately to stop the current cycle of exploitation in the coffee business.  Fortunately they are successfully providing opportunity where it is desperately needed. The Leiva (pronounced Lay-vuh) family is all about the land, its families, and reinvesting a portion of all profits into struggling communities of rural Guatemala. They hope to improve quality of life for others and to promote hopes and dreams of future generations.

Coffee lovers can help in this worthwhile endeavor by simply purchasing Leiva coffee. (This blog is not posted as a commercial; I am only sharing info about a real family sharing real hope.) Not only will you be enjoying truly delicious coffee (I can personally attest), but you will help make a difference.

The Leivas’ story began with hope for opportunity. Instead of giving up, they rolled up their sleeves to create the change they hoped to see. We need more people like the Leivas on the planet!

Visit Leivascoffee.com to learn about opportunities to meet educational needs of impoverished Guatemalan children.

I once read of a lone survivor of a shipwreck who was stranded on a deserted island. He prayed desperately to God with hope for rescue, waited, and watched, but no help appeared in sight.  He finally struggled to build a small hut of driftwood as protection for himself and his meager belongings.

One day after a search for food he discovered his hut was on fire and its smoke billowing skyward. Now hopelessness overcame him.

“God, how could you let this happen me?” he cried and collapsed in deep dispair.

However with the dawn of a new day he saw a ship headed toward the island to rescue him.

When he asked, “How did you know I was here?”

He received this answer: “We saw your smoke signal!”

It is understandable to consider giving up when circumstances seem hopeless, but we mustn’t dispair, because God is still working in all things — even during the darkest times. We must have hope and remember that when our huts are burning down it may produce the smoke signals that bring God’s grace to our rescue.

(Based on MY SAVIOR’S LOVE by Charles Gabriel, Tyndall House Publishers, IL)

Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was created with great hope. The courageous signers were expressing hope in basic beliefs that include (1) All men are created equal; (2) All men have basic human rights given to them by God; (3) Government is to be by the consent of the governed; and (4) The only reason to have a government is to protect these basic human rights.

Among those basic human rights Thomas Jefferson specified “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Without  hope for these rights, what chance was there for a group of 13 separate colonies to become a free, independent and unified republic, a beacon on a hill to shine liberty’s light to the world?

The signers’ hope was deep-rooted in faith in the Sovereign God to grant success in the dangerous endeavors they faced. They fully realized that they risked their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor by signing.

The Declaration of Independence and later the Constitution are more than historical documents. They are foundational to America’s continuing liberties. It is right to celebrate the day the Declaration was adopted. Failure to understand the importance of these two documents places us on a slope that slips toward loss of our basic human rights.

To maintain hope for America’s freedoms, we must maintain belief in the documents that form the foundation upon which our country stands.

Without hope on July 4, 1776, there would have been no United States of America, and without hope today there will be no United States tomorrow.

One Sunday morning in January 1776 John Muhlenberg, a colonial Virginia pastor, wore the traditional black clerical robe as usual. He preached from Ecclesiastes, chapter 3 that reads there is a time for all things… a time to be born… to die… to plant… to harvest.

He declared, “There’s a time of war and a time of peace. There is a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray.  But there is also a time to fight, and that time has now come!”

With those words Muhlenberg did the unusual as he disrobed before his congregation. He removed his black robe that he wore over a colonial officer’s full dress uniform.  He left his pulpit and appealed to the men of his congregation to fight for independence from British tyranny.

The pastor then left the church, and the men followed. In fact, three hundred men followed Colonel Muhlenberg to form the 8th Virginia regiment. Muhlenberg bravely led those men throughout the Revolutionary War of Independence, was promoted to Major General, and became one of Washington’s most valuable commanders in the Continental Army.

John Muhlenberg did what he did, because he had hope for independence from tyranny — hope for liberty.

As we celebrate the birthday of that new nation for which patriots like Muhlenberg fought, may we Americans always carry in our own hearts the hope to maintain a free United States of America, to return to God as a nation, and to continue to enjoy liberty in the land of the free and the home of the brave. God bless the USA!

By the way the Black Robed Regiment was the name given by the British because of the large number of pastors leading in the fight for Independence.

Go to wallbuilders.com; theresonancemovement.com; or blackrobereg.org to learn more about the Black Robed Regiment (also called Black Robed Brigade.)

“Look backward in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion, and up with gratitude.” (Ziglar)

“Hope is the power that gives a person confidence to step out and try.” (Ziglar)

“Encouragement is the fuel upon which hope runs.” (Ziglar)

Zig Ziglar, top motivational speaker, grew up attending church but didn’t become a Christian until July 4, 1972, at age 45. “That was the missing ingredient. Everything changed for the better,” Zig proclaimed. Faith in Christ helped him see that true success can’t be bought and identified it as peace of mind. For decades he inspired millions by public speaking, by appearing on radio and television, and by authoring more than 30 books.

I was privileged to hear Zig in person when he was in his 80’s  and after admiring him for as long as I could remember. I knew he taught that it’s not what happens to you that matters but how you respond to what happens that makes a difference. Now I saw first-hand proof that his actions matched his words as I watched his struggle to communicate onstage with short-term memory loss caused by an accidental injury.

Maintaining a positive attitude he now adjusted his presentation with help from his daughter, who kept him on track. Zig courageously continued to do what he had become the best at doing… motivating, inspiring, giving hope — responding positively and not reacting negatively by giving up. He embraced the struggle. He was walking the talk and continuing to impact others in positive ways. His smile, example, and message of hope were his legacy that blessed our planet.

“More prayer, more exercising of our faith, and more patient waiting leads to blessings — abundant blessings. I have found it to be true many hundreds of times, and therefore I continually say to myself, “Put your hope in God.” (George Muller)

Muller lived in the hope and expectation that God would answer his daily prayers. Those God-given answers provided for more than 10,000 orphans in his care throughout his life. Also those answers provided 117 Christian schools to educate more than 120,000 children.

Muller didn’t do fundraising for donations but instead did “prayer raising” for God’s provision, and the results met his needs and often abundantly. The same provision God offered Muller in 1800’s England can be attained by us if we pray with the same hope and faith as he did and trust in the same God Who hears us.

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (I John 5:14, 15)

“O God, hear me! Not once in my life have I ever spoken to You, but today I feel the urge to make You an act of worship. You know that even from my infancy they always told me that You didn’t exist… I, stupid, believed them.

I had never marveled at Your great works. But tonight I looked up from out of a shell hole at the heaven of stars above me! And fascinated by their brilliant magnificence All at once I understood how terrible the deception…

I don’t know, O God, if You will give me Your hand. But I say this to You, and You understand. Isn’t it strange, that in the midst of a terrible inferno, the light should appear to me and I should have discovered You? Beyond this I have nothing to say to You. I am happy just because I have known You.

At midnight we must attack, But I have no fear, You are looking out for us. It is the signal. I have to go. It was wonderful to be with You.

I want also to tell You, and You know it, that the battle will be hard: it could be that, in this very night, I’ll come to knock at Your door. And even though up to now I haven’t been Your friend, When I come, will You let me come in?

But what’s this? Am I crying? My Lord God, You see what has happened: only now I’ve begun to see clearly…

Farewell, my God, I am going. It’s scarcely possible that I’ll return.
Strange; Death now has no fear for me.” — Aleksander Zatzepta

The above writing was found in the jacket of a Russian soldier, Aleksander Zatzepta, composed just a few moments before the battle in which he lost his life during World War II.

I am thankful for hope at the last minute.  Perhaps hope to face death is needed even more than hope for living. Thankfully my God provides both.