Hope

Hope.

As a born again believer it's something I sing about, quote verses about, and pray about.  Hope is powerful.  And I am thankful for the hope I find in Jesus Christ.  I would be no where with out it.

As a foster parent I have begun to see hope in a different light.

My kids are filled with hope.  Hope that their parents will do what they said they would do.  Hope that their parents will be where they want them to be.  Hope that the judge will say "yes" they can go home at the next court date. 

Even when we tell them that their is no hope for something to happen they still have hope.  That is, until they stare what they were hoping for in the face.  Until, they realize that their hope was for nothing.  That indeed what we said would happen actually did.

Those are hard moments, hard days, hard weeks.  To watch the life get squeezed out of child because their hope has completely vanished. 

Yet a few days later their hope is rekindled.  Sometimes hope prevails, many times it does not.

Hope is a powerful weapon.  It has the power to encourage and uplift.  And when it doesn't work out, it has to power to destroy and damage. 

I hope that one day my kids will be able to place their hope in eternal things.  I hope their hearts heal.  I hope they will not completely give up.