Hope is Not a Strategy

Hope is not at strategy; however, is opens the doors to possibility!

I have shared this picture on occasion.  Today, I share the story behind the picture.  Years ago, yet not so long ago, I was on what I call a dark journey.  I was silently suffering, having pity parties (which no one ever came to other than me!), and always reminding myself to keep quiet; no one could understand or ever feel the way I felt.  Sad, lonely, discouraged, guilty, fearful, oh, I could go on.

One particular day, I was literally having a panic attack.  I called a friend who suggested I get in my car and go to the gym and workout.  I grabbed my workout gear and headed to the gym about 20 miles away.

In Missouri, we are always alert to changing weather conditions.  Our joke is we can experience three different seasons in one day!  On this particular day, the sun was shining, it was cold, the road was warm, and it had just iced.  I actually love when this happens because the ice melts as soon as it hits the ground.  The ice droplets remind of tears falling from the sky and sticking on the limbs of the now-naked tree limbs.  It is a sight to behold and so very beautiful.

As I was driving down the road, wiping away my poor, poor, pitiful tears, I noticed the “ice crystals” sitting on the tree limbs.  I thought to myself, “grab your camera and try to capture them!”.

I picked up my phone/camera, pointed at the trees and just hit the button. I took several pictures in the direction of the trees.

As I went to put my phone down, I notice a very bright light.  Being a responsible driver, I decided I should pull over and look to see what the bright light was.  (Not that I had pulled over to actually take the pictures!)

The picture you see is one of the pictures I took!  I was flabbergasted!  And in awe.  And amazed.   What the heck …  You can see the “ice crystals” I was hoping to get in the picture.

And yet, there it was, the promise of God!  A message for me and me alone.  A message of hope!  There is always hope and there is always the possibility of a transformed life.  Within a couple of months, I found myself really understanding that we truly are responsible for ourselves and ourselves alone.  I found out that many others were and are going through the same emotions I was going through at the time.  I realized it was a place for me to grow, or not.  I learned the power of choice in that picture, all those years ago.

This was the pivotal point in my sacred journey into the unknown yet welcomed Journey of Life.  It is where I found hope.  It is where I believe I received a special noticed of God’s great grace and unconditional love.  It is where I was the next chapter began.

In transparency, as a business owner and entrepreneur following what I know God’s has called me forth to accomplish, I have pulled that picture up many times as a reminder that hope is not a strategy; it does, however, open the door to possibility!