Hope

One of my favourite parts of Winter is its finale. The moment when Winter begrudgingly gives way to the freshness of Spring. When buds push their way through the hard ground and battle against the elements in their determination to win life. When small leaves appear on the bare branches of trees and hedges, breaking up the jagged jigsaw of brown and grey with little splashes of vibrant colour. When the sun breaks through the clouds in bursts, letting its rays light up the sky; the very manifestation of God with us.  

In celebration of this transition between the seasons, I have filled every corner of our home with daffodils. I absolutely love these flowers, largely because they’re my Mum’s favourite, but also because of the hope that they represent – the beginning of the end of the icy, cold season. Hope and energy bubbles up in me every time I see the splashes of sunny yellow, brightening up areas of our home. 

Because of my Christian faith, hope defines my life. Not in the dreamy, wishful thinking definition of the word, but rather a confident expectation and firm assurance. The hope that God loves me and that I am beautifully and wonderfully made in His image. The hope that God has my life held securely in His hand; that my life has meaning and purpose. The hope that there is forgiveness available to me for the mistakes that I make. The hope that my future is secure and safe in Him.

"Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised"

(Hebrews 10:23)

At this time of year, Hope becomes manifest in the re-emergence of life around us. I pray that you will find the reassurance and comfort of the hope we find in God, portrayed through this wonderful transition between the seasons.