Episode 91 - Blessing of Hope ~ A Poem By Jan Richardson

In my continued searching for deeper understanding about hope I come across many excellent thoughts from a wide variety of sources.  Recently I read a poem by Jan Richardson from the book, "The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief."  I hope you'll join me as I read this poem and speak to some of the perspectives she brings.

Transcript

Hello Friends, I’m your host Dr. Dave Laton and thank you for joining me in Our Journey to Hope.

 It is my desire through this podcast to bring you information about how to discover, sustain, or perhaps regain hope.  

 I recently came across a short but powerful poem by — Jan Richardson from The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

 Please listen as I read it.

 So may we know
 the hope
 that is not just
 for someday
 but for this day—
 here, now,
 in this moment
 that opens to us:
 
 hope not made
 of wishes
 but of substance,
 
 hope made of sinew
 and muscle
 and bone,
 
 hope that has breath
 and a beating heart,
 
 hope that will not
 keep quiet
 and be polite,
 
 hope that knows
 how to holler
 when it is called for,
 
 hope that knows
 how to sing
 when there seems
 little cause,
 
 hope that raises us
 from the dead—
  
not someday
 but this day,
 every day,
 again and
 again and
 again.
 
 I like the way Jan has described hope in this poem.  She speaks to the ongoing nature and importance of hope as not just for today but every day and every moment.  We know that hope is critical for life.  

 Without hope we have no view of the future and no desire to sustain our life.  With hope, there is a future, perhaps only a glimmer, but where there is life, there is hope.

 Jan refers to hope as not wishes but substance made of, as she describes it, of sinew, muscle, and bone with breath and a beating heart.  That’s true hope.  It is not made of wishful thinking, but confident assurance.  It is a life force that helps us hold on when our hope is challenged.

 And that hope is not silent.  We hear it speaking boldly, perhaps even screaming to keep on in the face of our challenges.  Jan states it even sings when there seems to be no reason to sing.  Yet there is reason if we will look and listen.  

 Sometimes when our hope is challenged, we wish to give up.  But hope screams, sings, and perhaps whispers no!  It calls us to move on.

 As she ends her poem, she speaks to hope that helps raise us from the dead.  Indeed, when we wish to give up hope, it is still there holding us back and helping us rise up.  As she says:

 not someday
 but this day,
 every day,
 again and
 again and
 again.
 
 Friends, I know what it is to have hope challenged.  I have seen the dark night of hopelessness.  But I have also seen the dawning of hope as the rising of a new day sun.  I also know the life given for us that offers true and lasting hope.  I know of hope in bodily form as our Lord Jesus.  He lived for us, died for us, and now lives again for us.  And because of that, I know I am a child of God through Him and will always have hope.  I desire for you to have that hope.  Also know, that no matter how you feel, you are never alone.

 I invite you to contact me if you have questions or comments, or if you wish to share with me something you’ve experienced in your journey to hope.  My email is info@ourjourneytohope.com.   

 And please, share this podcast with someone whose hope is being challenged.

 I look forward to sharing more with you soon.  Again, I'm Dr. Dave Laton, and thank you for listening.  And until our next episode, remember, we give all glory to God our Father.