A Hope Filled School Year - By Kaitlyn F.

A Hope Filled School Year - By Kaitlyn F.

Around this time, many of us start freaking out because school is around the corner. We need to get new school supplies, and we need to start reading our summer reading book. For seniors, you have to start applying to colleges. This is just the beginning of another stressful school year. But while we are running around losing our minds, God stands faithful, unmovable and strong. I believe that it is a good thing to start of the year with hope for the new school year, instead of starting it in fear. Now a promise that God makes is that he will give you everything you need. Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Now this is only your needs, not the luxurious items that we so desperately want. But he is good to look over you, with his grace and mercy new everyday, which we all need. Sometimes though we feel like God isn't taking care of our needs. Numbers 23:19 says, "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfill." He will take care of your needs. He didn't make a promise that he couldn't keep like humans, and he isn't lying to us. It is difficult sometimes to determine what we need, and what we want.  When we make our luxuries as something that we need, then we feel like God isn't fulfilling either of these verses. Some of the needs are universal like love, and food, and shelter, but we each have other needs that are different, and it is up to ask God to give each of us our needs. Like in my math class, where I wanted an "A", but what I needed was a "B" to humble myself, but to also help me grow as a student. God is faithful, and he will fulfill his promises

Hope By Emily M.

Hope

By Emily M.

I want to talk about hope and God's blessing. Recently we gave a young girl hope. Her name is Ann. She passed her courses quite well and received her letter to get into secondary school. You see, Ann comes from a family that is facing hard circumstances. They are not rich and the mother cares nothing of education. She would rather see her married off at the age of 15. However, we came together as friends and raised some money. That morning we had only managed to raise about 3/4 of the fees and then, God happened. A guy I had just known on Facebook sent in some money which managed to clear her first term fees.

You have no idea what that means until you are hopeless beyond words - and then God comes. In the same line, a miracle happened in my life. I know I am a bit old to be saying this, but I love school. Unfortunately, I had never had a chance to finish college or my degree because of lack of finances - but then a miracle happened. The same man who paid for Ann offered to pay for my university fees. Imagine i had shelved the idea of ever going to school especially since my kids are already growing up. In Africa, education for a woman is a gift, especially if it is higher education. We still need fees for the other terms but there is one thing I want to say - Jesus died so that I may live. At His own time He has made things beautiful. Not how I had expected or envisioned it. A person who is a non-Christian does not come out of the blue and offer to help. It must be God-sent. It has not only built up my faith, but the faith of those around me.

Jesus is real. I know that from first hand experience. I work with disadvantaged kids and when something good happens in their lives it's akin to a miracle. My prayer is that we may all open our eyes so that we see just how blessed we are. He came and He set me free, and He can do the same for you. Amen.

Hope in the Coming of Christ, By Hillary-Beth

Hope in the Coming of Christ

By Hillary-Beth Koenig

What does it mean to put our hope in Christ?
Sometimes it feels like we are putting trust in a future we cannot control. Well, that is the truth! We can't control our futures; God is control! And God is good.
Some people get very focused on trying to figure out just exactly when Jesus is coming back. But doing this actually takes our focus off of Jesus and the work that we can be doing now for His kingdom. Our faith rests in a person, not a prediction. We are trusting Jesus, not a guess of when He's coming.
So , we know two things:
1. He is going to come!
2. There's no way to predict when. God has told us this in passages like Matthew 24:36.
The only thing preventing His return is the Father's hand on the door. He is allowing more time for people to turn to Him. That's what He's up to until then. And He knows the perfect time of when it will be time to return.
Our hope is in Jesus, who is still with us through the Holy Spirit. Hope says, "Whatever I face, God is more powerful, God is in control, will right all wrongs and restore creation in His perfect timing."
God's promises are for forever. There's no time limit on them, and they are delivered in perfect timing.
Everything since the original sin has pointed to the restoration of all of creation - Isaac and his stories, Moses and the stories of the Israelites, David and his Psalms and prophecies, Elijah and Daniel and their prophesies, and especially the Cross - all point to the day when we will be completely restored to the way we were originally made to be.