Hope. A word we use often. I hope I'll be able to go to the Portland freeze tomorrow. I hope I can get a job soon. I hope it snows during Christmas break. I hope I pass my math class. The list goes on and on. What about God? What do we hope from him? It's when we pray. We pray a request hoping He'll answer. We hope when we read the Bible. We hope that we will learn something from Him. We hope to understand Him better.

Hope. Hope. Hope.

You know what we can do with hope? Survive, go insane, be happy, blissfully ignorant, love, and so much more. I believe we survive on hope. If we lose it; we die. We have it; we continue to live on. But can someone lose hope, and then gain it back and still be alive? I believe the answer is yes. Just because we lose hope doesn't mean we die immediately. It takes a while, slowly eating away at your spirit, and then it kills you. But if you can gain your hope back before it takes your life there is room for redemption.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 – "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant not to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

1 Peter 1:13-16 – "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil that desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy."

Colossians 1:3-8 – "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints- the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as if has been doing among you since the day you heard it an understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit."

"Fear can hold you prisoner, but hope can set you free." -The Shawshank Redemption

"I hope Andy is down there. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope" -The Shawshank Redemption