“My HOPE is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name!”

I am forever grateful for my parents who raised me in the church singing the old hymns, so that when Holy Spirit wants to speak to me, He often does so through the lines of these anointed songs as He whispers them to my soul when I need them the most. (Parents, take note: the songs that fill the atmosphere of your homes and mini-vans will be the songs that run through your children’s minds and hearts, their dreams and quiet moments. Be intentional, as Philippians 4:8, and Colossians 3: 16-18 reminds us! “Speak to each other/(fill your conversations and HOMES) with songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, always giving thanks to God through Jesus Christ….”))

Today, I am filled with HOPE.

We’ve been to three weddings in the past 2 weeks. In each of the ceremonies, the couples have stood confident before God and each other, and taken VOWS to be faithful to one another in a covenant of love, in great joy and solemnity, till death do they part!

And our hearts swell with joy as we actually KNOW these 3 young couples! We KNOW that they have made decisions to follow Jesus, to honor Jesus, and to display Who Jesus is through their new marriages!

These 3 couples GET IT! They – and many, many other young couples we know – are the ones who will shape the future of this world that God so loves! They are the ones who will birth and raise the next generations of children to know and follow their God! They will be the ones to ‘rebuild the ancient ruins’ (Isaiah 61:5), and restore the places that have been long devastated by us who have been sleeping on our watch, instead of fulfilling our callings to be Watchmen on the walls!

But today – I see it! I see how God is redeeming this next Generation! I see young families loving one another in healthy marriages and raising kids to know the Jesus who loves them and redeems us all!

Today, I am filled with HOPE! This is a gift of grace! In today’s world, for those of us who are awake (not woke) to all that the Enemy is trying to accomplish in this Hour, HOPE is not easy to access. For those of us aware of what is going on in our nation and in the world that God so loves… we must fight for hope, fix our eyes on Jesus, and take time to intentionally ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, and all the more, as we see the ‘days’ that we are living in!

I feel HOPE rising! God is pouring out His Spirit in this Hour! He is awakening His church – His children – to realize who we are and what He has entrusted to us! He is bringing REVIVAL, and restoration, and re-aligning our hearts and lives around JESUS – our King and Redeemer!

And practically, that looks like our kids and yours, multiplying, filling the earth, and subduing it under the righteous rule and reign of our King! It looks like Mamas & Papas in the faith pouring into the next generation to pass on our flames of love for King Jesus! It looks like young people following hard after Him in worship, in devotion, and in choosing their spouses! It looks like young families on fire for Jesus coming together with other young families on fire for Jesus so that the fire of His love will spread and cover all the earth!

Today, be filled with hope! Know that our God reigns, and He has called us to ‘reign in life’ on His behalf, to see His Kingdom come and His will being done on this earth as it is in Heaven!

Today, is there some young person or young couple you could spend some intentional time with, pour into, and disciple in the ways of Jesus? Is there someone needing to know that there is a Way, there is Truth, and there is Life full of purpose and joy in the person of Jesus? Ask Holy Spirit what next steps you could take to encourage these ones, and thus spread hope to those who have none?

And now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you hope and trust in Him!

(For more on mentoring and changing the world for Jesus, find the book “Ripples of Heaven” wherever books are sold.)