Tag: hope

Hope for the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Posted on by hona

Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery in his youth, and Joseph experienced being falsely accused, thrown in jail, forgotten and overlooked, and then elevated to the second highest rank in Egypt. Joseph’s story was full of twists and turns, but God was working everything together for good. Instead of carrying bitterness and resentment in his heart, he understood that God was ultimately guiding him. When the famine hit Canaan, Joseph’s family came to Egypt searching for food. Joseph was gracious to them, and they relocated to Egypt and all their needs were met. When their father, Jacob, died, the brothers were concerned. These men were the same people who had mocked Joseph, thrown him into a well to die, and sold him into slavery. Was Joseph carrying anger and revenge in his heart all of these years?…

I See You

Posted on by hona

I looked out the window to see the tiniest bird perched on a tree branch, hiding on the swaying branch. It was so small that I almost missed it. As it hopped around on the branch, I smiled and thought to myself, “I see you.”

Sometimes we are doing life and wondering if we are seen, heard, or even known. Do people see us? Or, the even greater question is whether or not God sees us.

The Gift of Time

Posted on by hona

The calendar keeps turning, as we are in the last half of the year. When you look at each day, it can seem to move slowly, yet it passes quickly when we pull back and look at a whole year. As I look back over the past few months, I am reminded that time is a gift. While it is passing, it usually feels like anything but a gift. It can feel as if time creates the waiting period from where we are to where we want to be. In our waiting, it can seem like absolutely nothing is happen. Yet, if we use the time well, God can use time to be a blessing in our lives.

Who Told You… ?

Posted on by hona

Scripture: “The serpent told the Woman, ‘You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.’ When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she

To Live is to Learn: 2013

Posted on by honaamer

Reflections on 2013: It has been a year for the books. Remember when you were young and you had growing pains? Your body was trying to adapt to changes. This year has felt like a year with growing pains.  Over the past 12 months, I faced great challenges and victories. In the midst, there have been