Hope & Encouragement

Last weekend I was able to go “home” for a couple of days. As my wife and I drove around my hometown I remembered things I have not thought of in many, many years.

I remember growing up, there were numerous things I wanted to be when I grew up. For a time I wanted to be an architect and design beautiful buildings for others to be awe-struck by. For a moment or two I wanted to be an archeologist who would unearth important artifacts relating to humanities past. There was another time I wanted to be a lawyer, to defend those who had experienced nothing but injustice in their lives. Then I wanted to be a teacher and impact the lives of my students to go on to do great things with their lives.

Growing up my parents encouraged me to think about what it was I wanted to do with my life. At times they might have encouraged me a little more in one direction than another. Through the encouragement of my parents, through my interactions with teachers, Church Leaders, Boy Scout Leaders, the adults in my life let me know that I could dream about what my future might be like as I became interested in different career fields.

The more places I live, the more people I work with, the longer I serve in places where people are in need looking for assistance; I am learning this is not what many other people experienced growing up. Too many are told they will never be this or that, they could never complete… Too many are handicapped with the restrictions placed on them by friends and family.

The Advent and Christmas seasons are about hope, about being encouraged to do more than we think is possible… Who in your life needs to be given the gift of Hope? Who in your life needs to be encouraged to dare to dream a Big Dream of what could be? Maybe you need to dream again, to be encouraged during these holidays.

May the celebration of the seasons give you hope and encouragement. May your life be changed because of this hope, and may you impact the life of someone else during the holidays.