Hope for the Holidays {Our God of Hope}

Hope for the holidays. Is there such a thing for us Hope Mommies? I sit and write today – fresh on the heels of Halloween. Last night, my Facebook feed was a mixture of moms posting pics of their kids in cute costumes and moms lamenting the last time their kids dressed up or the fact that they would never pick out costumes for their kids.

Hope for the Holidays? Is that even possible?

Yes, we can have hope for the holidays – if we plug into the source of all hope – the God of hope.

This time of the year is often hard for Hope Mommies. Everywhere we look, there seems to be excitement and joy. People are bustling about making plans for the holidays with family and friends. They are buying gifts and dresses for special occasions. They are taking family pictures.

And we have a hole in our hearts. We think of what should have been and what should be.

My son was due Christmas Eve so we had presents under the tree. Our Christmas card that year was a birth announcement. And his “First Christmas” outfit was waiting in the nursery for him. But he didn’t spend Christmas with us. He went directly into the arms of our Father ~ the arms of his Heavenly Father. The presents were donated. The birth announcement became a “we are heartbroken” letter and our son was buried in his “First Christmas” outfit.

So I know. I know what it is to struggle to find the hope, the joy, and the peace in the chaos of the holiday season.

But I also know the God of hope. And because I know the God of hope, I have joy and hope overflowing.

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy
and peace as you trust in Him,
so that you will overflow with hope by
the power of the Holy Spirit.
-Romans 15:13

That is my battle cry. My saving grace. My strength.

I choose to trust the God of hope, and He, in turn, fills me with all joy and peace and my hope overflows.

Even when my heart is breaking, I can overflow with hope.

Even when the chaos of the season threatens to overwhelm me, peace can reign.

Even when the loss saddens me, my joy can bubble over.

How? Because we have a Heavenly Father that knows our pain and sorrow and He is faithful in everything. Always.

It’s in the hard times when answers to our questions seem elusive that hope can take root and grow.

Dear Mama, as we approach this season bustling with activity and prepare to celebrate the birth of a baby – God’s son – the fact that we are mourning the loss of our own babies is often magnified. But without Jesus being born, we would not have the hope He offers. Because Jesus came to this world as a baby, we have hope that we will one day see our own babies again.  I know that right now, in this moment, with grief threatening to pull you under, it seems impossible to have hope, joy or peace.  But hang on! Lean into Jesus. He will restore your hope, joy and peace.

Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have
great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
This hope is a strong and trustworthy
anchor for our souls.
-Hebrews 6:18b-19.

Take refuge in the God of hope and let Him anchor your soul.

Shelly D. Templin is an author, speaker and blogger that shares a message of hope –
with humor. She has three daughters, a son-in- law, and a granddaughter. Shelly
lives in Texas with her husband, Jack, of 29 years and their two dogs.
www.shellydtemplin.com
www.facebook.com/chucklesinthechaos/