Thursday, September 20, 2012

Are You Hopeful or Hopeless?

"Let's Go...make no excuses now, I'm talkin' here and now...  your time is running out, I'm talkin' here and now...
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing.   It's all about where you're going,  no matter where you been."   Calvin Harris

Where are you today?  Are you living the life you want to live or are you holding on to past let-downs or mistakes you've made?  Are you fulfilling your God-given mission and purpose in life?   Do you have your core values,  your dreams and goals, and your purpose statement written down and in plain sight?  Do you even know what they are?  Worse yet, maybe you've lost hope.
  It's easy to allow yourself to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or even depressed if you are living your life as a reactionary.  Friends, family, and society can bombard you with challenges and expectations and if you do not know what you stand for or where you're going it can get really tough.
 Here's the good news:  each of us can reinvent ourselves or start over at any time.  We can take the false ideas concerning ourselves and others,  unlearn them,  and go forward with a fresh perspective and renewed hope.  Is is easy?  Not usually.  Is it worth it?  Most definitely!  You may need tools and  you might need help but you can move closer to accomplishing your goals if you will commit and put in the effort.

 Have you ever considered what you would do if you knew you could not fail?




Here are some of the kids on probation who are stellar examples of what it means to believe it's about where they're going.  Robert and Bobby are at the back on the left.  (Photo quality not so good!)
  

Recently my husband, my oldest son Bobby, and myself attended a luncheon which benefited the Probation Community Action Association of Orange County.   The two of them spoke to the group about love, hope, trust, and family.  The hope in that room was contagious.  Here we were surrounded by kids ages 13-17 who had such great dreams and aspirations for their future even though they'd had a tumultuous past.  These young people were all part of the juvenile system in Orange County, CA. and most all of them came from either really terrible, sometimes dangerous family situations or no family at all.  This is why they ended up in trouble.   All of the kids at the luncheon that day were hand-picked for positive behavior and all are moving forward with their lives by living in the now instead of being hung up on where they came from or where they've failed.  It was a very inspiring day!


A couple of weeks ago my son Bobby spoke about hope and his outline really resonated with me.  Bobby laid the case that hopeful people are more imaginative because they continually use their creative minds to think about what might be coming next.   He went on to say that they are more creative as they not only think about what might happen but they use their creative scenarios and put them into action.  They aren't afraid to try something new that might be out of their comfort zone or against what people have said they could not accomplish.  He said that hope-filled people are patient as they trust God, holding on to the promise that no matter how bleak things might seem,  they only need to hang-on and live one day at a time.  They trust that they have life ahead of them (no matter what their age) in order to fulfill their God-given purpose and their destiny.   Bobby also believes that hopeful people are more moral as they weigh each decision they make based on deep-seeded values and they cling to the belief that something great is yet to come.   And lastly he positions those filled with hope as constant, committed,  or steadfast as they don't easily give up or give in.
I have taken some liberties and expounded in my explanations based on a message that was delivered a couple of weeks ago.  If you want to hear the complete sermon then I suggest that you go to treeoflifeoc.org

Hope should be the cap-stone in your life that will continue to hold things together for you, no matter what you did in the past or what you might be struggling with today.

If you are feeling hopeless or if you need someone to partner with who can give you guidance and provide a system to navigate through some tough times, this is what I do.  I can help you for an hour, a week, a month or a year.  If you need hope contact me. 


The Bible explains faith this way,
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,  the conviction of things not seen." 
 Hebrews 11:1

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start now and make a brand new ending."  Carl Bard

What are your hopes for yourself, your family, your community, your world?
Always remember that it is never too late to start again.  Make sure that you don't get caught in the trap of "gloom and doom" based on old tapes or things people say to you.
HOPE is the answer!

 Hold on,  keep at least an ounce of faith, persevere,  expect great things!   Move forward one step at a time.  "Let's go!"

God is blessing you,  Donna

P.S.  Did you know that there are seven pages on my website?  Simply click on each tab heading above to learn more about my coaching,  nutrition,  product recommendations, or read a great recipe! The first tab heading is labeled "blog" which stands for this page.  

3 comments:

  1. Well put Donna! I find that the greatest gift I receive, as I put aside some of my own challenges, is in finding a way to:

    Help
    Other
    People
    Everyday

    And as I see happy faces as I try to help I receive more Hope for myself in return!

    Whatever our challenges, they seem less when we follow Jesus' teaching and it seems showing our Heart to Him shows us where we can help best!

    God is Blessing you
    J-M

    ReplyDelete
  2. My husband and I are having problems relating to my sister and brother in law, especially my brother in law. We share a cottage together and they seem to think that they can take control of what is done at the cottage. My brother in law designed the renovation of the cottage, when my mother was still alive. The location of the cottage is on a beautiful waterfront lot. The old dynamics between my sister and I keep coming up. She can be very critical of me. Please pray for us as we try to work out our differences. My sister and brother in law are so rigid when we discuss the cottage.
    God bless you.
    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  3. This morning, I heard Bobby's sermon at the Crystal Cathedral. I found great comfort from his sermon. In the midst of our trials God is there to comfort us and he gives us hope. May God continue to bless him in his ministry.
    Liz

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog. Please try to stay on the topic and remember also that there are many who are struggling through all kinds of challenges. Let's all be kind and thoughtful with our comments please! :D