Never Say Never

And no, I'm not talking about a James Bond movie.

I am (slowly) learning to never say never:

"I'll never quit smoking." April 1 will be 11 years ago that I quit.

"I'll never get married." Look at my amazing husband!

"I'll never get out of this hospital." Well, I'm here, ain't I?

"I'll never be able to walk far without using this stupid walker or wheelchair." A few years ago Doug and I went to Tequomenon Falls, and I walked about 4 miles in one day!!!

"I'll never be a mom." Oh! My precious, precious Jacob. Where would my life be without him?

"I'm not going to make it through this day." And yet every morning, the sun comes up, whether I see it or not.

Why do all these things happen? Why do I always doubt? Why can't I stay optimistic and positive? Why can't I rise above my circumstances BEFORE I sink to the depths of the bottomless pit?

All I can say is DO NOT LOSE HOPE. I'm less optimistic than I used to be, but Halellujah GOD is still my hope. Don't take away my hope, because I would not live. Simple as that. Read this carefully:

"Our Hope Endures" by Natalie Grant

You would think
Only so much can go wrong.
Calamity only strikes once.
And you assume that this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here

Sometimes the sun stays hidden for years.
Sometimes the sky rains night after night.
When it will it clear?
But our Hope endures....
The worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged!

How do we comprehend peace within pain?
Or joy at a good man's wake?
Walk a mile with a woman whose body is torn
With illness, but she marches on...

Oh....sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night..
When will it clear?
But our hope endures
The worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged....

Emmanuel: God is with us
El Shaddai: All Sufficient

Emmanuel: God is with us
El Shaddai: All Sufficient

Emmanuel: God is with us
El Shaddai: All Sufficient

We never walk alone
And this is our hope!

Our hope endures...
The worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake...
Let the earth quake...
Let the earth quake...

OUR HOPE IS UNCHANGED

Do not lose hope, please! I have to tell myself this over and over. If I didn't have Hope, I wouldn't be here, I can promise you that. God IS OUR HOPE. And He never changes. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. Believe that. (again, I'm still talking to myself!!) Let's all continue to remind each other!!

OUR HOPE ENDURES!!!!!!