Enjoy this guest post by my friend Janet Hines. Janet was in the mountains of Honduras as we collaborated on this post. I admire her so. You can learn more about her by reading her bio at the end, or visit JanetHines.com. Let’s welcome Janet!
I live near the Gulf of Mexico. There is a weather phenomena we occasionally experience. A system will develop over the water and move on to land. But it sits and like a train keeps producing storms that dump heavy rains and they just keep coming. No one can predict when they will stop. This is referred to as “training.” On radar you can see the individual “cars” that are capable of producing inches of rain in a short amount of time.
What I have learned in the “training” storms on my journey is that they are in fact “training” sessions. I learned more about God in those seasons. I still do. It is there I began to know God. My relationship with Him changed and continues evolving today.
I had always known about God, but it was in the middle of the journey where I dug deeper into my relationship with Him and sought the promises He made. Our relationship became new. I learned what scripture teaches regarding the change we can expect.
Protecting our hearts from our old patterns is critical to the new journey.
“Oh! May the God of great hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!” Romans 15:13 The Message
When I read a scripture that is this packed with goodness I love to break it down and slowly savor the message
“The God of great hope. Pause – rest here a moment. Our God is the God of great hope. What does that mean to you? Then Paul is speaking of being filled up with joy.
Filled up with peace.
Soak that up! Let it settle in your soul.
Next he is talking about our believing lives. What does that look like to us? Do we live believing lives? He speaks of being filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit. Yes, Lord!
And the conclusion – with the God of great hope, the joy He brings, peace, trust and the Holy
Spirit, our lives will brim over with hope!”
I love the phrase “believing lives.”
“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” Psalm 94:19 ESV
This scripture addresses anxiety but after that comes God’s consolations. The scriptures are packed full of God’s consolations and encouragements waiting for us to take them on our journeys with us.
“When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful.” Romans 12:12 NiRV
Here we learn how to manage hope, suffering and prayer. Look – joyfully, patiently and faithfully. The word “when” shows up which means these experiences are going to be part of our lives.
Staying in God’s word is one of the most important choices we make every day!
When my husband told me he was divorcing me, being joyful certainly didn’t cross my mind. When my mom was in a tragic accident in the nursing home van – nope. Not then either. When my son and his wife had five miscarriages – no. When hurricane Katrina ravaged our region – again – not then either.
God has taught me much as I have moved from the dark valleys up to the mountain tops. The most important lessons I learned were in the middle places. Deciding to leave the valleys with God leading the way was one decision. Continuing through the really hard parts where I felt the storms would never stop, I learned God meant it when He said I would not walk alone.
Each of the storms I have experienced created building blocks in my training that became the foundation I depended on as I continued my climb.
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2-3 ESV
Steadfastness is a beautiful word. Being steadfast means steady, unwavering, deliberate and focused. I can’t ever remember a time when facing a trial that my first response was to rejoice. Ever. But I am learning.
Today, I live focused on Paul’s words “all joy” as my goal for the rest of my days living a believing life. God walks beside me, carrying me through the deep waters and holding me in the dark nights.
God waits for you too my friend. All His promises in scripture wait for you to claim them. This journey is not for the faint of heart, but in the challenge, in the training, you will become the beautiful you God created you to be.
About the author:
Janet Hines was raised on a farm near a small town in Pennsylvania. As the oldest of five, she learned every aspect of hard work and farm life. There her roots grew deep into God’s creation and the beauty of it.
Combining her photography, travel experiences and writing she brings together pieces of life in ways that connect with hurting people who need to know they are not alone. Her heart’s desire is to build a community of hope through sharing Christ all of her days.
Janet co-founded Mi Esperanza, a ministry in Honduras focused on women’s education in 2002. You can find out more here – www.thewomenofmyhope.org . Serving as director of two disaster relief organizations during Katrina recovery opened her eyes to the importance of serving local as well as international. Her life passion is service centered.
Janet is on a journey seeking and finding the joy and hope that Jesus brings as He heals us, learning to be grateful for brokenness. She recognizes and celebrates that shattered can sometimes be the perfect catalyst for driving us safely into the arms of Jesus.
She lives in Covington, Louisiana. Her four married children and eight grandchildren keep her heart and life active and full of love.
Her book Rising Hope – moving from the valleys to the mountaintops, finding God in the middle places where the hard work happens, will be published late summer 2019. Stay in touch at www.janethines.com
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