Hope: The bright light in the midst of darkness

Happy New Year everyone.
I'm sitting in my favorite Florence-writing-place drinking coffee and writing some thoughts in my notebook. Contemplating on what I want to talk about in this new year here on my blog.
And really, I don't want to change anything. This blog was designed for me to share whatever the Lord wants me to share. And I'm planning for that to stay the same in 2017.

And while deciding what post to be my first here on His purpose, not my plans, I felt led to share a question and answer I gave to someone last week.
This wasn't the first time I have been asked this question, nor will be the last. And that's okay.

It was right after I had shared a condensed version of my story, that I had lost my mom at the age of 10, that I loved serving the Lord by working with kids in Florence and in Clarkston, that I was an avid blogger and that while I have no idea where the Lord will take me in the future, I am confident that it will be good.

And then, THE question was posed.

How are you so joyful after your mom died? Aren't you bitter? 

And I smiled.
Because I don't mind talking about it, even though it seems like talking about a lost loved one is often taboo these days.

I quickly answered their question.
And the answer is not complicated, or far-fetched, or difficult to comprehend.

It's hope.

That's it.
Really.

I am joyful because I know that my mom is healed completely, and dancing with Jesus.

I am joyful because I know that, eventually, one day I will see her again, and there is nothing that can change that.

I am joyful because I know that death is not the end.

Hope is the light in the darkness.

The reminder that even though we are surrounded by despair, by sicknesses, war, corruption, by death, that there is LIFE.

I have hope, because I know that Jesus died and rose again so that we can live.

I have hope, because I put my faith and trust in Him many years ago, and I am no longer held victim to despair, to death, to sin.

I have hope, because I choose to believe in Him.
I choose to believe in life.
I choose to believe in victory.

So yes. There is sadness. There is sorrow. But what allows me to keep going, what comforts me when I am hurting so deeply, is the fact that that I have hope for life beyond this world, thru Jesus.

As far as bitterness, I could be bitter.
There are a lot of things I could choose to be bitter about.

I lost my mom at the age of ten years old to a disease that still has no cure.
Truth be told, I consider almost every day if I too will have cancer.

I didn't have her to take pictures at prom, she didn't get to celebrate my 18th birthday, she didn't get to move me into college, or see me thrive the past year and a half. She won't meet the man I marry, or help me pick out a wedding dress, or meet my children.

I grew up very quickly.
I have often been told how mature I am, and I credit it to the fact that I really didn't have a choice. I quickly jumped into packing lunches and helping dad with dinner and I suddenly became responsible for packing my own clothes for vacations (and helping austin remember that you also need to pack socks with shoes) and doing my own hair for school and picking out my clothes for church... Things I really hadn't had to do before.

And really, I don't regret any of that.
I mean, of course, I wish my mom was still here, but all of those things have shaped me into who I am today.

I laughed this weekend when a friend asked me how to get a stain out of her sweater, because she knew I'd know, and I did. It's just my life and who I am.

And while I can choose to be bitter about all that has happened, what I have dealt with and what I will deal with as I get older, I have found that it is a lot easier to have joy than be bitter.

So that's what I do.

I choose hope. I choose joy.

And on another note, choosing hope and joy doesn't mean you can't be sad.

Many of us are familiar with the shortest verse of the Bible, "Jesus wept." from John 11:35.
We are allowed to grieve and be sad. And I am, often.

But what sets us apart from others who are grieving and sad is that we know this isn't the end. We know that there is a future with our lost loved ones. We know that while we grieve their loss on earth, that we will one day be reunited with them forevermore.

So friends, as we start this 2017, I wish for you that you choose hope and joy.

I pray that this year you allow yourself to let go of bitterness and chains of shame and despair and you hold fast onto the hope that this world is not the end. That there is more after this life.
I pray that you cling to the knowledge that Jesus loves you so intensely, so deeply, that He took on your sins and chains and gave you the key to freedom.
I pray that you allow yourself to choose hope, to choose joy, to choose being the victor of death over being the victim of death. To choose Jesus.

"O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
The sting of deaths is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"
1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Thanks be to God y'all. Thanks be to God for the victory over death.

The last thing I'll say is that this past week I was fortunate enough to attend the Passion Conference, where 55,000+ college aged Christians gathered to worship the Father and praise Jesus and get some seriously awesome teaching.
One of the sessions was an interview with Jay and Katherine Wolf. and wow. Their story is one of tragedy, and yet such joy. Here's a link to the interview posted on youtube and I HIGHLY encourage you to watch it. It's about 30 minutes, but it is so worth it. It was such a blessing to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5OfPO3qo74

While my life hasn't been ideal, it is my story.
My journey, that the Lord has destined for me.
His purpose, not my plans.
And I'm thankful I can share it with y'all.

And if you have anything you'd like to me to talk about this year, something you think would be good to share on the blog, please comment below or email me at tyler.alana711@gmail.com.
I really would love to hear from y'all.

Thanks for joining me. I'm excited to keep the journey going here on the blog for 2017.