Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Hope by Guest Jill Lynn


 by Jill Lynn

Sometimes I pick a word for the year. I haven’t in the last couple of years, but when 2022 rolled around, the word HOPE came with it for me. I wanted that word and the meaning behind it to be present in my life, so I latched on.

But then…2022 did not start easy for us. I’d planned to come out of the gate full of hope and ready for new things, for setting and meeting goals, for success. Instead, numerous things derailed those attempts. It felt like every time I turned around, something new was slapping at me like those scrubbers attacking my vehicle when I run it through the automatic wash.

I kept trying to stay afloat—to trust and hope—and I kept failing. I don’t know about you, but once I begin to fail, the slope is slippery. I can inch toward depression quite easily, and that is what I feared was happening.

But then one morning I opened my Jesus Calling devotional, and in the very week where my struggle had become huge, I read these words: Whenever you feel inadequate, remember that I am your ever-present Help.

Hope in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity.

Those last two words—depression and self-pity—were what had been weighing me down. It had felt like having a boat anchor tied to my waste and with every step, I had to drag it around behind me.

How could God—infinite and quite busy with all that’s going on in the world—have known that I’d read those words on exactly that day? I wasn’t even on the correct day of the devotional. (I never am!)

It impacted me so much that what I was going through was exactly what God was speaking to me about.

The end of the devotion reads: Heaviness is not of My kingdom. Cling to hope, and My rays of Light will reach you through the darkness.

I love the imagery of light and dark, heavy and light.

I love that God cares about us so much that He’s constantly sending us messages and reminders of His love.

Sometimes it feels scary to hope. Does anyone else experience this? Like it’s easier to stay in the trenches and work hard and not expect too much…because expectations can be followed by such disappointments. As I was hanging up the phone with my parents the other day, we were talking about something important but not life and death. Something big but not overly huge. And my dad said: We’ll just pray for a miracle.

It made me pause. Aren’t miracles reserved for the big things? Should we “waste” a request for a miracle on the thing we’d been talking about?

And then I realized that HOPE says there are enough miracles to go around. Enough miracles for the big and the small things. What an amazing thought!

Ever since my dad’s comment, I’ve been praying for miracles. Wildly, without abandon. Without picking and choosing what to use my “miracle requests” on. It is so freeing. It is so full of HOPE.

How amazing to think that a devotional and an offhand comment can come together like that to remind me that not only is it okay to hope, it’s okay to hope about all the things all the time!

This month I’m celebrating my tenth Love Inspired book being in stores. It is also a story of HOPE: A man who believes he’s broken and not enough. A woman who is working so hard to honor her late brother that she’s losing herself along the way. A teenage boy who has lost his father and is seeking to fill the void. And a dog who’s ready to assist…as long as that assistance is accepted. One might even say a miracle takes place in the story. 😊 One of those middle-of-the-pack miracles that doesn’t register as life or death but that does register as life-changing.

If you happen to grab a copy of The Veteran’s Vow, I hope you enjoy it. 😉 Thanks for letting me be here today. It’s always a pleasure to stop by Seekerville!

Jill Lynn

Jill is giving away a copy of The Veteran's Vow. Simply leave a comment to be entered. (US mailing addresses only, please)


A little about The Veteran’s Vow: When service dog charity head Ellery Watson learns that Behr Delgado suffers from war-induced trauma regarding dogs, she determines to heal that trauma with the one dog who can change his world and assist with his physical disabilities. But she never expects that Behr's assistance with her nephew and impact on her life will heal her in return.

Get your copy here!


Jill pens stories filled with humor, faith and happily-ever-afters. She’s an ACFW Carol Award-winning author and has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University. An avid fan of thrift stores, summer and coffee, she lives in Colorado with her husband and two children, who make her laugh on a daily basis. Connect with her at Jill-Lynn.com or via her social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/jilllynnauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/JillLynnAuthor/

https://twitter.com/JillLynnAuthor

https://www.pinterest.com/JillLynnAuthor

 

35 comments:

  1. I love this post, Jill.

    Hope! What a fragile word when we place our hope in ourselves, but so powerful when we place it in God. Then it is assured - strong and ever-present.

    Congratulations on your new release! How exciting!

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    1. Jan, that assurance of hope is a powerful thing.

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    2. Hi, Jan! Completely agree. Thanks so much!!

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  2. Welcome, Jill. This was a great post. Please put me in the drawing for the book. It looks good.

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  3. I'm with Jan... Hope through God is so much more than hoping in our human frailties.... He strengthens us and that hope is the beauty of it. What a lovely post and congrats on your tenth Love Inspired!!!!

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  4. Please put me in the drawing for the The Veteran’s Vow. This book sounds wonderful. thank you for the chance.

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  5. In the last two years, I've truly learned that hope is something that I have to have. I can't live without it. I, too, have anxiety and depression, and it's a day to day thing in my life. Now with my mom sick, and I'm her caregiver, I would never make it without hope, and the Lord taking every step with me. Thank you for being here Jill!!!

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    1. Dana, praise God that He is always with us. He is our hope. Hugs to you.

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    2. Yes He is Mindy! Thank you so much. Hugs right back atcha!

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  6. Hi Dana! I'm glad (but also sorry!) I'm not alone in this battle. I'm so sorry your mom is sick! What a hard road to walk. Hugs from Colorado.

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  7. Jill Thank you for the post I myself know what you are saying I always feel that Hope Is my word and The Lord being by my side Blessings to you!

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    1. Amen, Sarah. Knowing He is there, that we aren't alone, gives us the hope to carry on.

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    2. Yes! So thankful for the gift of hope!

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  8. Without Hope in God we will drown in our sorrows. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on your new book.

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  9. Love this, Jill....and love your books. I read all of them! Keep up the great writing!!
    Blessings~~

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    1. I concur, Jackie. Jill is one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read this new book.

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    2. ❤️ so kind! Thank you both. ❤️❤️

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  10. Great post, and the book looks great too! Wonderful cover!

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    1. I love that cover, Marcie. The waterfall, the dog, a hunky hero... I mean, what's not to like?

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    2. Aw, thanks! So thankful for the cover crew. They do good work. ❤️

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  11. This is such a wonderful post, and I am going to take it to heart and put it to practice. Hope is what propels me through each day. Congratulations on the new release.

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    1. ❤️ thank you! And I'm working on that too. I keep praying for miracles left and right!

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  12. I've been using the word/concept of hope for myself these last two years, as well. I've been tryikng to memorize Psalm 27, which ends with David assuring himself that he would see the "goodness of God in the land of the living." It's just like you said about God meeting you right where you are. That's what that verse was for me just when I needed it. Great post, Jill. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  13. A long time ago, God did something in my life that involved a bottle of perfume. And it was then that I realized He cared about EVERY aspect of my life and HE truly wants to give us our heart's desires.

    We are meant to walk in the Blessing of Abraham. When you walk in the Blessing, you find that you don't need miracles because you've come to understand all that already belongs to you.

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