The Reason For The Hope That We Have

​What sets Christians apart from the world?  Why do we have the hope that we have?  We put so much of our faith and trust in God…but why?  In Peter’s letter to the church in Rome he writes:

​“But in your heats revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect,” - 1 Peter 3:15

​So, what is hope?  According to dictionary.com it is: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best
This means that we trust God will take care of us and that everything (whether good or bad) will work out for what is best for us.  Note that it will work out for what is best for us, not necessarily how we want it to work out.  Once again, why do we have this hope in God?

The answer is right at our fingertips.  We have access to Bibles at home, church, and scripture on the internet.  Most of the time we can access God’s Word right on our smart phones.  It is amazing how quickly we can read what God promises to us and yet how little we view God’s Word on a daily basis.  Could you imagine scrolling through God’s Word and reading what He is saying to us as often as we scroll through our Facebook feed?  I am blessed in my job here at New Beginnings because I get the chance to read and teach God’s Word on a daily basis.  Here is what I found and why I put my hope in Him:

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 hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31

The Lord will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. – Psalm 121:7-8

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. –Matthew 11:28

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. - Romans 8:25

​I could go on and on about what the Lord promises to us.  There are definitely more in the Holy Scriptures that I could share with you.  As you can see, we are promised that He will take care of us.

​Why will God take care of us?  How do we know this is truth?  The answers are quite simple. God is love.  God loves us.  He always has.  We call Him “Father” and we are His children.  For those of you who are parents, you know the kind of love that you have for your own children and how fierce that love is.  Now imagine what kind of love our perfect Father has for us.  As parents, we pretty much think we know what is best for our children.  God always knows what is best for His children.  All of them.  All the time.

​Here at New Beginnings, some of the mothers are just learning about God’s (Agape) love for them and what His plans are for them and their babies.  Daily devotions, weekly Bible Studies and weekly church services are all ways in which we help our young moms grow to know God’s love for them and they slowly, through the Holy Spirit, learn to put their trust and hope in Him.

​Please use the comment section to share your own stories about how you have seen God’s hand in your life and why you put your hope in Him.

Christina Pritzlaff is married with two children. She has completed Early Childhood 1 & 2 classes, Infant Toddler classes, and completed the coursework for her Associates degree in Child Development. Christina splits her time between spending time with her family and working at New Beginnings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, camping, fishing, reading, and doing counted cross-stitch.

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