“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NASB

Hope is such a powerful word. It is difficult to properly define with other words, because Hope is not just a figure of speech. Not only both a noun AND a verb, Hope is a state of being, a frame of mind. Hope is the food that nourishes our spirits while waiting in the dark for the worst to pass. It is the spark of the Divine within our souls that beckons us to hold on just that little bit longer until we are safely through our testing time and are able to become stable once again, and thrive.

Beloved. It is 2023. We are at the cusp of a brand new year. And we, along with mankind are once again inclining our ears to hear something fresh for this very new year. We are longing. We are reaching. We are yearning.

We are hoping.

For in spite of the cataclysms of the past several years, we, who were created in the Image of the One who created all Hope, reach out to the new as if by instinct. We reach out to the unknown. And God, by His Holy Spirit pours in just the right amount of elemental hope that we need to face what is ahead.

We reach out and take the hands of those around us: our loved ones, our spouses, our children, our grandchildren. Our dear friends. Our sisters and brothers in Christ. We take their hands and say, “Come on. We can do this. We can live in hope.”

One thing I have learned in my 65 years of living on this earth, is that hope thrives on gratitude. When we set our minds on all the things that bring us joy, fill our hearts with love, these things are the seedbed for renewed hope. For it is our resounding songs of Thanksgiving that usher us into the very Courts of God.

And there, in that space, our hearts thankful, eyes fixed on He who IS hope, we are filled. Filled to all fullness with what we need to proceed. To continue. To remain, steadfast, and immovable.

We receive Hope anew. Like a sweet wine of refreshing, we find ourselves able to once more rise to the task. Walk in grace. Speak with love. Act in kindness. For He who is all of those things, rises in our hearts to bring all these good things, through us, to our needy world around us.

Happy New Year my Beloveds. Together let us have Hope Anew.

~ Debbie Ecker