Great Expectations

I’m sure we’ve all been through some disappointments or experienced unfulfilled hopes and dreams. Sometimes our expectations in life just don’t come to pass. Somehow disappointment is inevitable; we simply can’t avoid it. It’ll catch up with us soon enough and it could be waiting around the next corner. But there is hope when our expectations and dreams are thwarted.

I’m a dreamer and have many hopes for the future. Dreamers are bound to be disappointed. But they also bound to experience the joy of a dream fulfilled. So let’s just say I’ve experienced many disappointments, sorrows and unfulfilled dreams. But there’s still the joy of dreaming and seeing some dreams come true. Never ever give up on your dreams, even when things don’t go the way you had planned. Because there is Someone who cares very much about your hopes and dreams.

I think God loves us to have wonderful dreams, no matter how crazy they may seem. He can take our dreams and turn them into a reality. I’m not saying He lets every dream be fulfilled. I think the reason for that is because He has different, better plans for us than the ones we have for ourselves. But sometimes God puts dreams in our hearts, dreams that seem way out of what we are capable of, but ones that God can cause to happen. Never give up on your hopes and dreams as long as they are in line with what God wants for you.

Whenever you are disappointed or when things don’t turn out the way you expected or hoped, you can know something: God is in control of your life. Sometimes He’s at work on something bigger than we can see. Sometimes we can’t see passed our hurt to see that God has a better plan for us. When we’ve been disappointed, we need to remember that God loves us and He has our lives in His hands. We need to just trust Him and realise that there was a reason for it.

Even when you feel like your great expectations on life let you down, remember that God is for you. There will always be trials in this life, but God will always be with you in them. Never give up. Keep dreaming, keep hoping and entrust those hopes and dreams to God. Nothing is impossible for Him. And we can “do all things through Christ who gives us strength.”

Indescribable Love

There is a love that can change us from the inside out. There’s a love that moves past our defences, selfishness and even sin, if we’d only let it. This love is powerful and life changing. It’s gentle enough to touch and move our hearts, filling us with unexplainable joy. This love is pure and beautiful. It’s selfless and full of mercy. This love is indescribable.

Many people don’t see it or choose to ignore it. They know that if they let it in, it’ll break down the walls that give them a false sense of security and power. If it finds its way into their hearts, they know they won’t be able to hide anymore. But if they let that love inside, they will be given the gift of grace and forgiveness. This love is one strong enough to cover our sins and purify us anew. What is this love, you may wonder. This is the love of Jesus Christ. And it’s more than that. This love is Jesus. Jesus is true love.

There was once a day long ago when a Man was killed, though He had done nothing wrong. He was betrayed, denied, abandoned, mocked and flogged. He was beaten and scorned by those whom He had made. That day man mocked their Creator. Then the Man hung on a cross, bearing the sin of the world on His shoulders. He cried out in pain before giving up His life for a world that rejected Him. This is true love. He wasn’t just some man; He was the Son of God. He was and is the face of love. For three days later He rose again, death having no power over Him. On that day, we were shown the true face of love.

With this love, God made and formed us tenderly. With this love, Jesus gave His life up for us, so that we may have life. And with this love, Jesus the Son of God offers you Himself. But love comes with a choice; to accept it or reject it, to embrace it or to shun it.

This is the One I live for. Without Him, life loses all meaning and purpose. Jesus is love! And He offers this indescribable love to all people. We are left with the choice; take it or leave it. I’ve chosen to accept the most amazing gift we’ll ever be offered, what will you choose?

The New Year

The New Year has just begun and who knows what is in store for us? The good news is that Someone does know: God. As much as I hope that this year will be an amazing year for all of you, life is never a walk in the park so we will all face some challenges throughout the year. As you meet the year of 2012, I want to challenge you to do something: keep Jesus central in your life this year.

I’m the kind of person who writes down goals that I would like to achieve in the year. But I’m not the kind of person who will go all out to achieve them. They are more like things I would like to be able to tick them all off the list at the end of the year, but that’s not always possible. You can’t plan your year and expect those things to happen. There are some things in this life that we can’t control and life will never cease to take us by surprise.

In a way though, these surprises are what makes life an adventure. The road won’t always be smooth but we can choose enjoy it nevertheless. I’ve heard people say that life’s what you make of it. In a way that’s true: you can see the cup half empty or half full; you can see only the bad things in your life or you can choose to see the blessings. I know this is so hard sometimes but it produces a healthy, positive attitude.

The year ahead may be a wonderful one for some and a tough one for others. But whatever kind of year you experience, you can learn from it and grow. God is with you in the hard times and the good times. He already knows what’s going to happen to each of us in the year to come. Take the year one day at a time; don’t worry about what tomorrow holds. God in control and He is the Creator of this Universe!

So as this year unfolds, remember that you are in the hands of a loving, Almighty God who says this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). God loves you and wants the best for you. Even when bad things do happen, He can turn those bad things into good. Trust God with the year ahead and know that you are never alone. For God is with you!