HOPE

When I was a small boy growing up in Tennessee I had tons of hope. At Christmastime I had high hopes for what might be under and around our Christmas tree. “Would I get that new bicycle? Would there be a football this year?”

As I moved into college I hoped for a passing grade in philosophy. I hoped to master music theory and be able to properly write four-part harmony. Hope filled my life.

As I started my career I hoped for that first job to come through when all of my friends around me were getting their calls and deciding their destinies. Finally, my call came and I moved to Orlando.

When I met Carolyn, I hoped she liked me. I hoped there would be a second date, and a third.

It seems that my life has been a journey of moving from one hope to another. Does this ring true with you? I wish we could sit across from each other and talk about our hopes and dreams.

Napoleon Bonaparte had this to say; “Leaders are dealers in hope.”

Hope is one of the most powerful and encouraging words in the English language. It is also listed as one of the three abiding spiritual attributes in the scriptures. “And now abides faith, hope, and love.”
(I Corinthians 13:13)

John Maxwell had some great insights to offer on the subject of hope in the December 2009 issue of Success Magazine.

”Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest.
Hope motivates when discouragement comes.
Hope energizes when the body is tired.
Hope sweetens when the bitterness bites.

"Hope sings when all melodies are gone.
Hope believes when the evidence is eliminated.
Hope listens for answers when no one is talking.
Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping.

"Hope endures hardship when no one is caring.
Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing.
Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking.
Hope presses towards victory when no one is encouraging.

"Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.
Hope brings the victory when no one is winning.”
(*From Think On These Things, by John Maxwell, Beacon Hill Press)

You can’t do without hope. It is like a breath of air or nourishment to the soul.

Bob Eaton, former Chairman/CEO of the Chrysler Corporation says, “A leader is someone who can take a group of people to a place they don’t think they can go.”

How can we offer hope to people? Read what John Maxwell says.
1. “Help people change their way of thinking. Hope can only become a reality if you can help change how they think if they think negatively.

2. Help them win some small victories. Positive thinking must be followed by positive doing. Nothing succeeds like success.”
“When people sense victory they sacrifice to succeed.
     When people sense defeat they give as little as possible.
When people sense victory they look for ways to win.
     When people sense defeat they look for excuses.
When people sense victory they become energized.
     When people sense defeat they become tired.
When people sense victory they follow the game plan.
     When people sense defeat they forsake the game plan.
When people sense victory they help other team members.
     When people sense defeat they hurt others.

3. Express sincerely your belief in them and in their future.”
(Taken from Think on These Things, Beacon Hill Press written by John Maxwell.

“Hope is people who have the courage to remake the world, not as it is, but as it should be.”
President Barack Obama

“Once you choose hope, anything is possible.”
Christopher Reeve

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
Dale Carnegie

All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope; Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, and Gandhi all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let’s live with hope.”
(Henri J. M. Nouwen)

Our founding fathers had hopes for a new kind of freedom. They wanted to worship and to abide in a land without undue taxation and without restrictions from a former life.

Ann Sullivan helped Helen Keller hold on to the hope that one day she would hear, see and speak, even in the midst of her handicaps, and Ms. Keller overcame mountainous obstacles to accomplish her dreams.

Abe Lincoln had a hope to end slavery.

President John Kennedy had a hope that someday Americans would land on the moon.

Henry Ford had a hope that someday his vehicles would encircle the globe.

Lance Armstrong had a hope that he would win the Tour de France bicycle race in spite of his diagnosis of cancer.

What are your hopes? What can you see in your mind’s eye right now that is still invisible to the natural eye? A ship’s captain cannot see his port-of-call for 99% of his voyage, yet he has a vision and hope that he will successfully navigate the waters of our world and reach his destination.

One of my favorite biblical passages ends with this thought. “… "To give you a future with hope.”
(Jeremiah 29:11)

Here’s the good news … I have a future full of hope, and so do you!