All in Hope

Jars of Clay…relief from our enemies

Jars of Clay…relief from our enemies

Nancy Paul
Grief, Hope, Joy

Esther is another example of a woman in crisis, albeit of a different kind. More precisely, all the Jews in the vast Medo-Persian kingdom ruled by Xerxes were in dire straits and Esther was the only one who had any hope of getting the ear of the king. You see, Haman held a grudge against Mordecai, Esther’s adopted caregiver, because he refused to bow down and honor him (Esther 3:2). So Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes (3:6). He persuaded Xerxes: “They do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them” (3:8). The date was set to annihilate all…on a single day (3:13).

Jars of Clay…redemption

Jars of Clay…redemption

Nancy Paul
Salvation, Protection, Hope

And so, somewhere between bargaining and acceptance (Kubler-Ross yesterday) I got to thinking: how in the world did the folks of yesteryear handle their crises?

The story of Ruth and Naomi is a classic. It all began in the days when the judges ruled (Ruth 1:1), a dark time for Israel. Eugene Peterson (introduction to Judges, MSG) calls it “nearly unrelieved mayhem”: Everyone did as he saw fit (Judges 17:6, 21:25).

Jars of Clay…hope when perplexed

Jars of Clay…hope when perplexed

Nancy Paul
Hope, Grief, Adversity, Faith/Trust

2020 is definitely one for the history books. What details will you cling to? For instance, where were you when JFK was shot? I was on my way with my mom to have my prom dress altered. On 9/11 I had turned on Fox News as I dressed for Tuesday morning Bible study, in time to see the second tower fall. My husband, September 1945, vividly remembers his mom propelling his terrified 4-year-old self past the barricade at the Vancouver (BC) train station to meet this uniformed stranger who tossed him in the air asking, “Where did you get that red hair?”

The Cross is Crucial

The Cross is Crucial

Karen Sims
Hope, Salvation

The cross. The event, not the wooden object.

Nothing else communicates God’s love and power so dramatically or completely. Solemnly contemplate with me:

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14).

Life in the Gardens of God: Eden reclaimed

Life in the Gardens of God: Eden reclaimed

Nancy Paul
God's Promises, Hope, Salvation

In the beginning, in Eden, the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden (was) the tree of life (Genesis 2:9). At the end of time the fruit of the same tree of life will be ripe for the picking by God’s redeemed (Revelation 22:14), Edenic life theirs—the curse of sin over and done with, for all nations. 

Of Redwoods and Rivers and Sand Dunes

Of Redwoods and Rivers and Sand Dunes

Nancy Paul
Jesus, Hope, Peace

Time for a hike today, ladies. Lady Bird Johnson Grove beckons. In June, or so the park ranger tells us, the rhododendrons are in beautiful bloom. Today we are amazed by all the lush ferns carpeting the forest floor. The trail through the tropical rainforest proves to be extremely refreshing. Some of the old redwoods are monstrous. So are the fallen logs and stumps, purposefully left au naturel by the park service, to do their thing—shoot sprouts of new growth up to the sun. I am intrigued.

Of Redwoods and Rivers and Sand Dunes

Of Redwoods and Rivers and Sand Dunes

Nancy Paul
Salvation, Hope, Grace, Jesus, Faith/Trust

Hop aboard, ladies. We’re taking a ride up the Oregon coast this week to see some amazing sights in God’s creation. First stop, a touch of grandeur in Redwood National Park. The California or coastal redwood, scientific name sequoia sempervirens, grows only in a narrow strip of land from northern California through Oregon, close to the coast yet not too close as it doesn’t like salt spray. Plentiful rainfall and summer fog of the region are just what they need—fog drip accounts for 30% of the yearly water supply. The “redwood” name comes from a bright red, fibrous bark when freshly exposed. They boast the tallest—Hyperion, at 379’—but cannot match the 102’ girth of the General Sherman, a non-related sequoiadendron giganteum in the Sierra Nevadas.*

Once Upon A Garden: Day 4

Once Upon A Garden: Day 4

Nancy Shirah
Hope

On the seventh day, God, in a sense, stood back to look over Creation and pronounced it “done.” He rested from His work because there was nothing more to do. And, Creation “rested” also because it was at peace and in perfect balance within itself. Then God blessed it—“sent it forth for abundance and enrichment” and hallowed it—“set it aside for a sacred purpose.”

Facets of Hope

Facets of Hope

Karen Sims
Hope

The Hope Diamond weighs 45.52 carats and is one of the most famous jewels in the world. Its recorded history goes back to the 17th century in France. The gem was cut into smaller pieces multiple times, so its appearance has changed. The French, deep blue diamond was stolen in 1792 and has exchanged ownership several times. As of 2019, gemologists have valued it at about 350 million dollars. It’s currently housed in the National Gem and Mineral collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Even so, there are no guarantees of perfectly guarding it from theft. 

Believing is Seeing

Believing is Seeing

Terri Vardeman
Hope

Thunder shook the air as lightning lit the sky. The windshield wipers feverishly cleared the window but only for a second. Pounding rain obstructed my view. The lane lines were no longer visible so I followed the taillights of the preceding car.

Be Contagious

Be Contagious

Jan Burkhart
Hope, Salvation

What goes through your mind when someone with a bad cough sits beside you? Do you pray, Lord, don’t let me catch what he has! Being in public while physically contagious isn’t good. But believers are all called to be spiritually contagious. We are to go forth and spread the gospel of Jesus.

The Simple Things: Remain

The Simple Things: Remain

Nancy Paul
Joy, Hope, Jesus, Peace

Perhaps you have heard of the My One Word experiment, designed by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen to encourage you to live—really live—by the word you pick for the year. Well, look no further. In the first ten verses of John 15 Jesus uses the word remain eleven times, in multiple combinations of: remain in me and I will remain in you; remain in my love; let my words remain in you. Seems to me ladies, we need to take the hint from Jesus and remain in Him.

Marana tha, Lord Come

Marana tha, Lord Come

Linda Lesniewski
Hope, Prayer

Marana tha. I love this word and want to add it to my everyday vocabulary. It’s only used once in Scripture, even though early believers used it often in their everyday speech. It’s a two word Aramaic phrase with multiple possible meanings, but the most common translation is “our Lord, come.” Paul used it as he closed his letter to the believers in Corinth.

New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Terri Vardeman
Hope

A new year has begun! Excitement is in the air! New Year’s Eve parties are celebrated. Fireworks are ignited. New Year’s resolutions are made. Diet and exercise regimens are started. Strategies to read the Bible through in a year are planned. Something about a new year inspires us to attempt new adventures.

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