May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

As I ponder hope, I am left with the recognition that it is only genuinely possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. To me hope ought to be included in the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) because it is so elusive for human beings. We beg for hope, search high and low and hang on to it with a tenacity that often puts terriers to shame. All the same human hopes often collapse because they are hung on the unsupportable branches of selfish desire. Hollow hope is what we typically hang our hat’s on. Real hope, as St. Paul said, “does not disappoint us.” (Romans 5:5)

I want to rest in real hope in the coming year. I want my life built on a bedrock that does not fall through when I rest my whole weight upon it. My life needs to be built on the rock of Jesus Christ.

As I begin a new chapter in my life, the year 2013, I look to the one who loves me, fashioned and made me to give me my hope. What I expect to get out of the next year is a deeper, richer faith. I want to have an even closer walk with The Lord through this period of my pilgrimage.

Journey’s are exciting and scary. You know that you must move forward in order to go on a journey. Staying in the same place is not an option for growth. You must accept some experience with the unknown to travel. My life has hither-to been very staid. I have said aloud all to often, “I don’t take risks.” Perhaps that has been part of the challenge? It is hard to go on pilgrimage without taking some chances along the way.

2013 is my year of adventure. I don’t plan on going anywhere physically, but I do plan on stretching myself spiritually and creatively and this blog seems a good place to start. Therefore, I will go. As I type today I am repeatedly challenging the spell-check because when I try to type “to” it comes out “go.” I will take the hint and go. I will go with hope. I hope that God will use my writing and all of my life to make His loving kingdom more evident in the world. I go so that God can use me. That seems like an agenda for the new year built on real hope. Amen.