How much pain can you take before you just give up? How much bad stuff? Stacks of bills, things falling apart, no food, no money, no job, or does it take more, endless illness, something fatal, or the illness or loss of a child or loved one…what about hearing or reading about or even witnessing genocide or women sold into sex slavery…young girls being forced into acts that we can’t even fathom…what could happen that would cause the hope to fail? I heard news today that a friend from my childhood lost his oldest son last year in a freak swimming accident, and then he was later diagnosed with cancer…and given little time to live…BUT…still this father, who might have looked up and shaken his fist at his Heavenly Father asking why me…but he only takes the opportunity to tell others about the love of Jesus…when someone crosses his path he doesn’t complain but instead only speaks of his blessings and what blessings he can share with you. Tonight he got his prize, tonight he was welcomed as a good and faithful servant into the waiting arms of his Savior…I don’t have to endure the agony that his children and wife left behind may be feeling with the loss of their father and husband…and I’m not sure how I would react…but I know more than ever that our hope lies in Christ alone…without the hope that He alone gives us we would struggle with many more lessor things than any of those mentioned above…after hearing about my friend Stephen Hingle today I was in my car and heard a song that kept him on my mind all day…maybe these words will inspire you…maybe these words will help you find hope where there is hopelessness…and maybe if you feel hopeless these words and the life of this man will help you realize that you don’t have to be hopeless…ever…that there is a Savior who wants to give you hope and a future!  (Lyrics: Our Hope Endures by Natalie Grant)

You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here
Oh, but sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It’s more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend peace within pain?
Or joy at a good man’s wake?
Walk a mile with the woman whose body is torn
With illness but she marches on
Oh, ’cause sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It’s more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

Emmanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient
We never walk alone
And this is our hope

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It’s more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged