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Topic: hope (03/29/04)
TITLE: Imagination, Pain, Hope and Endurance By WENDY DECKER 03/29/04 |
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As the years went by my vivid imagination transitioned into a perpetual dream world. I was a stubborn dreamer. I pursued almost every dream I concocted. I dreamed of becoming a famous singer. The first time I stood on a stage with my knees shaking and heart pounding, I endured a thrill and excitement that I had never known before. The hope of being discovered gave me the courage to sing my heart out in front of drunken spectators. At the age of eighteen, I rode on a Greyhound bus and watched the glowing sunsets descend behind mountain peaks while exploring the state of California, only to learn the grass wasn’t greener on the other side as I had hoped. Upon my return, I was subjected to the inevitable, “I told you so,” from friends and family, and endured the humiliation of those anticipated words.
My stubbornness was the catalyst that enabled me to confront my fears and rise above my circumstances. There were times I endured the pain of being scared and unsure, like the time my mother was taken from me and I was forced to make decisions I wasn’t prepared for. I had hoped God heard my prayers because there was no one else. Finally, I endured a pain that resulted in overwhelming joy and gave me hope for the future. Giving birth to my first child was as wonderful as I had imagined.
Each individual has encountered their own level of hope and endurance. I know there are still more enduring challenges ahead of me. Fortunately, because Jesus was sent to endure the unimaginable, I will never have to imagine what it’s like to endure the challenges of this world without him. There is always hope, therefore… let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus… Hebrews 12:1-2. NKJV