{":Hope Is:"}

HOPE FOR THE CHRISTIAN

IS MUCH MORE THAN

PIE - IN - THE - SKY

WISHFUL THINKING.

THE DICTIONARY DEFINES HOPE

AS VERB O EXPECTATION - TO

" HOPE AGAINST HOPE'"

TO ACTIVELY AND CONFIDENTLY

EXPECT FULFILLMENT.

HOPE AS A NOUN

IS DEFINED AS A CONFIDENT

EXPECTATION THAT

A DESIRE WILL BE FULFILLED.

HOPE AS A VIRTUE

IS DESCRIBED AS THE CONFIDENCE

WITH WHICH A CHRISTIAN

LOOKS FOR GOD'S GRACE

IN THIS WORLD AND GLORY IN THE NEXT . . .

DID YOU GET

THE COMMON DENOMINATOR?

HOPE IS ALL ABOUT PLACING OUR

CONFIDENCE

IN WHAT WE CAN'T YET SEE,

ABOUT HAVING HIGH

EXPECTATIONS THAT,

IN SPITE OF ALL

APPEARANCES TO THE CONTRARY,

OUR DEEPEST LONGINGS

WILL BE FULFILLED.

AND AS CHRISTIANS,

THAT'S EXACTLY

WHAT WE CAN COUNT ON.

-Thelma Wells