Hope

Sitting in the middle of a gravel road. She was frozen. defeated. alone. As she sat there she noticed a small puddle of water. For a moment there was a glimpse of blue sky reflecting from it. But to her it resembled much more than that. It was hope.

It then was distorted with a rain drop, then another. The small glimpse of hope that she had seen was gone. She could no longer see the blue sky. . . Only a rippling picture that was being swallowed by grey, was staring back at her. As the rain began pelting her back and running down the small creases in her tired face, she began to cry. She had cried many a time but none like this. She was finally feeling the full blow of what she had been facing the last 6 years. She had never felt more alone, confused, defeated, or broken in all her 27 years.

Her thoughts were never "Why? Why me? Why now?" but her heart cried out over and over again "Oh Father! Where are you? I can't feel you! Show your face to me Father".

She then turned her face back toward the grey puddle when she noticed a flower. The flower was small and looked weathered, but it was beautiful and was a vibrant purple color. There it sat with only rocks around it. . .

It too was alone. It too had to struggle to survive. As she gazed at the flower she noticed how with every blow this tiny flower took from each rain drop it seemed to get a little stronger. A little taller. It was growing. She thought for a minute, "This small helpless flower must be put through the storm in order for it to grow and become more beautiful. . ." It then seamed as if she heard a voice say "My child, as you fight in the midst of every storm I brings your way, you will become strong in My strength, and even more beautiful to Me."

As she sat there in thought, a hymn began flowing through her memory. . .

"Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,

We're tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;

But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,

All tears forever over in God's eternal day.

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,

We're tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;

But there is one in heav'n who knows our deepest care,

Let Jesus solve your problem - just go to Him in pray'r.

Life's day will soon be o'er, all storms forever past,

We'll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;

We'll share the joys of heav'n - a harp, a home, a crown,

The tempter will be banished, we'll lay our burden down."

Oh how her heart was comforted. She felt Him holding her once more and her heart felt His warmth. It no longer mattered that she was broken while fighting in the midst of a storm, because she wasn't fighting for something she could see. No. It was something much more precious!

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-8