All the paperwork is in. An extra 150.00 dollars was required. (Hidden fees) And...I still don't know if it'll all get here in time for me to leave on Monday.
I'm on the edge of my seat to see what God will do. I've never felt hope like this. This is the kind of hope where what I'm hoping in is not the efficiency of our esteemed government to issue this paperwork, or the efforts of our BBC short term missions office (Tina-you are an angel of mercy and a true servant of God!), but on God alone to keep his promise and to keep my sanity. It's living in the complete assurance that God's will is supreme and good. There is no error, no oversight, no incoherent thought in the mind of God.
Hope is believing there will be a positive outcome to a particular set of events. It isn't knowing-that's something closer to expectation. Hope, on the one hand, is far more dangerous, for "what do we have if not belief?" (C.S. Lewis) But if hope-a belief that indeed God works all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)-is all we have...we have much!
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
So. We don't press on as those who have no hope. "24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." (Romans 8:24-26)
Continuing in hope and in prayer,
Allison
Great perspective on hope, Allison. You certainly do have the right words. God will honor your desire to glorify Him.
ReplyDeleteI applied for a passport for myself today so we will see what difficulties I encounter. Not that I'm coming to Ireland but do "hope" to go on a cruise to Alaska with Dr. David Jeremiah and his team next July.
Go with God. Love you forever, Grandma