Ravi Zacharias shared a story about visiting a site known for making the highest quality wedding saris in the world. His account reminds me that God’s child can trust the Father for He has a plan for creating beauty and purpose from even heartache and sadness. Any hope perceived is based on the fact that God is trustworthy.
Ravi shared, “With such intricacy of detail I expected to see some elaborate system of machines that would boggle the mind in production. But this image could not have been further from the real scene. Each sari was made individually by a father and son team.
The father sat above the son on a platform surrounded by several spools of thread that he would gather into his fingers. The son had only one task. At a nod from his father he would move the shuttle from one side to the other and back again. This would then be repeated for hundreds of hours until a magnificent pattern began to emerge….
The son certainly had the easier task. He was only to move at the father’s nod. But making use of these efforts, the father was working to an intricate end. All along he had the design in his mind and was bringing the right threads together….
God alone can weave a pattern from the disparate threads of our lives – whether suffering, success, joy, or heartache – and fashion a magnificent design. Perhaps today if you will stop and reflect on it, you will see that the Father is seeking to weave a beautiful tapestry in your life.”
I gain hope from Ravi’s account. It reminds me that Father God is the Master Designer. It challenges me to trust my Father enough to follow His leading. Then He will accomplish a work of beauty and purpose with my life. That truly gives me reason to be hopeful!
“For we know all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8: 28)
“Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 142: 8)
Earlier this month I participated in a parade to honor a local World War 2 veteran on his 100th birthday. It was a privilege to join the surprise celebration for one of our Greatest Generation.
Decades ago he served and sacrificed to preserve freedom against tyranny and oppression. Today he maintains a model attitude and expressed well his appreciation for the unexpected honor.
Blue lives mattered, as the local police escorted the motorcade that consisted of many vehicles, motorcycles, and American flags. Surrounded by family and friends, the honoree enjoyed 20 minutes of the parade’s waves, smiles, and honks — all representing love and respect from many well-wishers.
I thought the prominence of so many flags spoke well of our American small town and its patriotism. It made me proud and gave me hope. I saw evidence of many patriotic Americans as flags waved all along the parade route.
With sadness I recalled the lack of respect shown in recent months by some athletes who refused to stand in honor of our flag that waved so proudly while brave individuals fought for our country so many perilous times. I cannot help but think that those who withhold honor due are woefully unknowing or just fail to understand the meaning and significance for which our flag stands.
It is right that we pledge and salute our American flag if we are grateful for our freedom and liberty. Our country is not perfect since imperfect citizens make up its populace, but I challenge anyone to find a better one!
I am thankful for one man who remains a proud American even at age 100 years. Birthday blessings to you, Mr. Hamilton!
Today I remember another birthday…. Today is my father’s birthday, and he would be 100 years old if he were still living. He was also a WW2 veteran and a patriotic American. I appreciate learning to respect and honor our flag from his example.
Thinking of my father’s generation gives me hope. Happy birthday, Daddy!
As long as I am physically able to stand, that is how I will respond to our Red, White, and Blue. Long may Old Glory, the Star-spangled Banner wave in freedom for all. May the hope that I feel when I view our flag spread to others along with peace and unity throughout our post-Christian nation.
I believe that God will bless America as America blesses God. That understanding gives me hope as I recall the following Scripture from the Old Testament.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
I want to introduce readers to ROOTS, an important book about leaving a life of crime by Marie Louise Toksvig. It is Nedim Yasar’s personal memoirs….
Nedim Yasar was born in Turkey, moved to Denmark at age four, and grew up to be the subject of this book. His story is not ordinary, because he also grew up to become leader of Los Guerreros, a notorious gang heavily involved with the drug trade and related crimes, including violence, robbery, and blackmail.
In 2012 a major turning point in Vasar’s life contributed to his story becoming even more extraordinary. He made a decision to end his gang affiliation when he learned he was going to become a father.
After participating in a successful exit program in Copenhagen, he dedicated himself to help steer others away from gang life. Yasar mentored young people as host of a local Copenhagen radio station and became a respected voice for change.
Then murderers shot and killed 31 year old Yasar in November 2018. This cowardly act just as his book was being released could cause hopelessness, because it appeared that evil had won. Yet I think there is much hope to be found in Yasar’s life-changing decision and dedicated efforts to help young people avoid his previous path.
As his child, a son, grows up, may he be proud of his father and see Nedim Yasar as a courageous hero who took a stand for his son to have a better life. Yasar didn’t choose to “disappear” into anonymity — a much safer choice — but chose to proceed publicly via his radio show, this book, and other meaningful efforts. He must have realized the dangers of sharing his personal story in a public way especially after a previous attempt on his life a year earlier.
Yasar must have had hope that his son will never fall prey to the dangerous hate-filled lifestyle that he had experienced in his own past. Yasar chose hope to change first his own life then modeled hope for his son and other young people.
The hope presented here today is the reality of a changed life. Also I find hope in the fact that hope didn’t end with Yasar’s death. The book, ROOTS, is full of hope and impacts others. The legacy of Nedim Yasar includes countless changed lives. His heritage is a son to follow his determined walk in a different direction toward a better life.
I want to share Nedim Yasar’s story and promote the hope at the heart of his changed life. I believe that his murderers did not win. Nothing can stop real hope. Hope always trumps hate… always.
A quote by holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom comes to mind: “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
