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I keep thinking about what Andy Dufresne said to one of his fellow prisoners:
'Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies … so get busy living, or get busy dying.'
And so I ask the question: What are you busy doing today? Living? Dying?
It’s a pointed question and one that merits asking yourself every morning when you get up.
The directness of the question sorts things out pretty quickly and should make the daily choices we make clear.
This week I have watched people busy with living.
One is busy holding her head up as she waits and watches for reconciliation.
One is busy recovering from cancer, while another is finding her way after the sudden death of her husband.
Someone helping less fortunate children finds hope for the first time.
A friend just called to say she was sending me a picture of a praying mantis on her moonflower—all ordinary tasks, all living with hope.
There are some days for all of us that are spent simply dying. We lose direction and hope.
We move through the day, respond to calls, think about what we should or could be doing and before we know it, we’ve managed not to find the productivity we longed for—the accomplishment of a well-ordered day of living, the article written, the meeting set, the fall garden planted.
Romans tells us "… as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
The overflow from our trusting will fill us with hope—not by our power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Something is required of us … to trust in the God of hope so we will overflow with hope and spill out into the lives around us, lifting and offering hope to those who might be busy dying.
So what will it be today? Living or dying?
Some days might be really dark, but I love what author Anne Lamott says:
'Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up
and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.'
Just showing up and trying to do the right thing is the most courageous thing I have ever done.
And I imagine we sleep better at night when we have trusted in a greater source than ourselves, being filled with hope, overflowing to others.
It never gets old or stagnant, but a constant flow of movement through our lives.
Get busy now with your choice."
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
Get Busy with Hope – Marcia Gaddis January 27, 2013
[image of praying mantis added]
Photo courtesy 10000birds.com
Marcia Gaddis is a speaker and author of the award-winning book When God Comes Near, published in 2010. She writes a weekly column for her two blogs, The Olive Branch and Marcia Gaddis … On The Grief Journey.
She began writing an online journal when her twenty-six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with the rare and fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
The journal became a book of hope and healing to those who experience tragedy.
At the 2011 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in Asheville, North Carolina, her book was awarded three distinguished awards: First Place for Inspiration, The Selah Book of the Year Award, and the Director’s Choice Award for 2011.
She is a graduate of the Christian Communicators Conference and a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Read Marcia’s devotions.
When God Comes Near
Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!
Used by permission www.christiandevotions.us
[Google image added]
Biblical Virtues to pray for your kids: #1 Salvation. "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
with eternal glory." Is. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2:10 [A series by Bod Hostetler]
Our Scripture for today: Ps. 139:23,24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Today’s quote: Marvin Williams “Remember, Jesus Has given you a significant part to play and will use you to build up His people.” “As a member of the body of Christ, You are a necessary part of the whole.” (OUR DAILY BREAD 1/18/13)
Tomorrow’s post: Breaking Strongholds in Cities: Prayer Note #129 Dutch Sheets
Elaine W. Miller updated her status: "Thanks, Steve Walker, for this endorsement of We All Married Idiots: "I bought several copies and have given them away with a prayer that the Lord will use it to help rescue failing marriages, put life into stale ones and strengthen good ones. I like the nice blend of honest stories of marital successes and failures, reflection questions, prayers and lots of Scripture. The Lord will honor His Word!"
We All Married Idiots | Facebook
A popular post: WHY DO WE PROCRASTINATE?
My book is to be given a new title and cover. Please pray for that to cause more folks to see and purchase it for the ladies it has been written for. Thanks!
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