MY JOURNEY
I for one am very happy shut the door on 2014! While many lovely and some astonishing things happened in my life last year, I struggled to keep from wallowing in discouragement as violence, hunger, injustice, depravity, ignorance, greed, self-centeredness swirled wherever I looked. I often reminded myself that this is what we can expect because we live in “enemy-occupied territory,” as C.S. Lewis described life on earth. But somehow I lost sight of one of my favorite promises in Scripture:
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11).
So for 2015, my word to live by is HOPE. HOPE is possible because I know the One who is in charge of the world. HOPE is modeled for me by Jesus who wept over what he saw and experienced but never despaired. He just listened to his Father and obeyed. 
HOPE is available because that same Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God on Earth – which is a place of beauty, joy, peace, understanding, fellowship – and hope. I am just as able to choose HOPE in any circumstance as fear or anger or despair – more able if I am living with the Holy Spirit. HOPE can be an anchor is the swirling seas of the next 365 days. So I will choose to look for, write, speak, and live HOPE, beginning today.
Living as Apprentices 
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed HOPE. Ps. 94:19. This verse is posted on my desk….
Karen, I look forward to hearing from you about HOPE!!!! Blessings, Kathleen
*”Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.”*
*Credited to: Philo of Alexandria *
On Thu, Jan 1, 2015 at 5:12 PM, Living as Apprentices wrote:
> livingasapprentices posted: “MY JOURNEY I for one am very happy turn > the calendar on 2014! While many lovely and some astonishing things > happened in my life last year, I struggled to keep from wallowing in > discouragement as violence, hunger, injustice, depravity, ignorance, greed, > “