Day 28: Waiting with Hope.

The house is quiet. There's something I love so much about a quiet house. Don't get me wrong, I love my roommates and all the noise that goes along with... but on these rare occasions that I have the house to myself, I like to turn the noise off and just listen.
Today was a beautiful day. The mountains were freshly dusted with snow, the river this morning was creating glorious fog that covered the roads and bridges and sidewalks, the cool air was full of potential and the new possibilities that the day held. I loved today. Dan brought a great word at the Stirring... we began our Advent series, preparing for the arrival of Jesus. Dan talked a bit about the background, the story that leads us up to the amazing event we celebrate on Christmas day. He talked about how when you know the story, the WHOLE story, it makes it so much easier to enjoy the seasons of life. Every season. When we know that God will show up, that he will fulfill his promises, it makes it possible to wait. To hurt. To question. To anticipate. To long. When we know the whole story, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We can weather the hard times because we know the pain will lead to healing, and the healing will lead us to Jesus and all that he promises us.

Something Dan said today really struck me: We need to hear each others stories. It reminds us that we're NOT alone. Not alone in the pain. Not alone in the struggles. Not alone in the grief. Not alone in the aching. Not alone in the waiting. When we share stories, it gives HOPE to people. The hope that Jesus does answer our cries for help. The hope that God hasn't forgotten us, that his faithfulness endures even through the hardest of times. When we share our stories, our testimonies, it reminds people who are waiting, to be waiting with hope. You see, people connect with stories. Stories of broken addictions, stories of answered prayers, stories of healed pain, stories of restored relationships, stories of changed lives. It gives them something to hope for.
Waiting with Hope.
Our stories help others to continue waiting, but to wait with hope.

Today, I am thankful for my story.
It's not perfect. Far from it actually. But it's mine. It's a story of all of the above things: broken addictions, answered prayers, healed pain, restoration, and most importantly a changed life. God has rescued me, and I hope that some day I can share my story and others will be reminded to wait with hope. Because there was a lot of waiting, a lot of longing, a lot of hurting in my story, but God came through. He rescued me. That's something to be thankful for, huh?

"Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever... The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine." Isaiah 9:1-2

I think this is something we can ALL be thankful for today. That the waiting won't go on forever. That there is a promise of a Great Light that will shower those who walk in darkness.
So we wait. But we wait with Hope.