When Heartbreak Turns to Hope

Everywhere we turn these days we see signs of devastation, catastrophe, heartbreak and great loss. I have friends in Tennessee and Georgia who have faced tremendous losses because of recent tornados bombarding their homes and cities.

My heart goes out to those in Japan facing unimaginable dangers, losses and devastation because of the tsunami and radiation leaks that are still prevalent in parts of that region.

On top of all of that, I think of people all around me and you who have lost jobs with no immediate source of income in sight. Where and when does this suffering end? When does hope walk through the door?

I saw an ad recently for the American Red Cross that used this bi-line “When Heartbreak Turns to Hope.”

Heartbreak
Devastation
Loss
Death
Disease
Rampant hardships

Where is hope in all of this?

I have some friends in Centralia, WA who recently lost their adult son. He was in the prime of his life when he was struck down. Where is hope in all of that?

My friend’s home in Missouri is under water at this moment. Where is Gary’s hope?

And now, with the world literally being threatened every day with some kind of devastation or attack by foreign enemies, I say again, where is hope?

Hope is such an elusive thing. Here are the synonyms for the word “Hope.”
Trust
   Anticipate
      Wish
         Look forward to
            Expectation
               Optimism
                  Anticipation

In 1998 I was facing a tough time in my life. Funds were at their lowest, bills were over my head, and I was heartbroken. Along came hope in the form of a financial gift. My, oh my!

I saw hope coming down the road once carrying a bucket of fried chicken and a shovel to help a neighbor dig his way out of a mud slide.

I’ve known of hope jumping into a rushing river to save a desperate mother and child from drowning after their auto was swept off a rain filled roadway.

I’ve heard stories of hope showing up on the battlefield, rescuing a fellow soldier.

Hope has made more than one appearance in the medical world. It showed up at least once disguised as a donor offering his kidney for a stranger who happened to be a perfect match.

I saw hope one day in a restaurant. A businessman paid for a plate of eggs and bacon for a homeless man who was sitting drinking a cup of coffee on a rainy day in Seattle’s Wallingford district.

I occasionally see hope offered to a homeless person asking for some loose change on a street corner.

Hope arrived one day to a mother of three through some sacks of groceries.

And hope shows up time and time again through humanitarian-based relief organizations and religious groups, such as The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, World Relief, World Concern, Goodwill Industries International, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, UNICEF, United Way, Alliance for Children Everywhere and so many other worthy organizations.

We all need hope, don’t you think? Some days we need it more than others.

I think by now you get the picture of exactly how hope can be such an encouraging thing to an individual.

One of my favorite biblical passages says this: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord; plans for your welfare and not for harm, so that I might give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

          A Future with Hope!

I can hold onto that.

Regardless of the prognosis, it matters not the dire predictions, and regardless of who is in charge, we are promised a future with hope.

My prayer for you today is this –
Find hope in the smallest packages and at odd moments of your life
Offer hope when you can, even in a firm steady hand on a shoulder that says “I believe in you.”

May you be an agent for turning heartbreak into hope!