It's time to stop being concerned about what "they" say and think of you - and instead focus on and start believing what "He" says about you (Galatians1:10). You know what I'm talking about, the faceless crowd of "they" that hold you back day by day. The ones that make you conservative, careful, quiet, timid and want you to live in their confines of their control. Jesus never made you to live as someone else's puppet, play thing or doormat. He came to bring you true freedom. He says "be careful for nothing" and "All things are possible to them that believe". He wants you to have freedom to think for yourself, see for yourself, understand for yourself with clarity and purpose given to you by God Himself (Acts 2:17). God wants to deal with you directly as an extremely valuable Son and Daughter of His Kingdom. He doesn't want to or need to go through a proxy to reach you. The veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died to give you direct access to the Father.


Now ANYONE can come. ALL are welcome and invited. He wants you to live without fear - of anyone or anything. He knows you inside and out and loves you deeply. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). There is no respect of persons with God so why do we elevate and hold so much weight on the opinions of others? God loves you. Concern yourself with His truth about you. He says "I have great plans for you and I love you" (Jeremiah 29:11) So be you today - not someone else's version of you. And if you're not sure who or what that is - great news! God will reveal it to you if you seek and ask it of Him (James 1:5). If you've messed up, simply ask for forgiveness and Jesus promises to forgive completely and instantly every time ! (1 John 1:9). Then get back up on that horse and ride on in freedom and love. You're worth too much to stay a product of lies, envy and hatred. You are precious in your Heavenly Fathers eyes and full of amazing purpose, love life and potential. All He needs you to do is take His hand and follow Him, just like He did to the disciple He passed by in the marketplace. Just like the thief on the cross. Just like the woman at the well. He still seeks disciples of His Kingdom. He still sets captives free today. He wants you to be a bold, confident true and unafraid shining light of God's truth, hope, love and mercy. God is love. So today, instead of listening to the "they" - listen to Love. "They" are a cage but HE is the key to true freedom. God loves you.

[ Galatians 5:1 - So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. ]

This is something that's been on my heart for way too long. I understand why Jesus washed the feet of His disciples at the very last meal they shared together. It was the complete opposite of the type of kingdom that the Devil offered Jesus when he tempted Him in the wilderness saying "bow down before me and I'll give you all these kingdoms to rule". The Devil is a liar only cares and appeals to the temporary things we can see like money, fame, sex and possessions etc. He offered and wanted Jesus to be a king here on earth and to die a rich old ruler instead of the sacrificial Messiah in the prime of His life that would take away the sins of the world and make the way for us to be back with our Father in Heaven. The real reason Jesus washed their feet was to show His disciples and us what His Kingdom looked like. It wasn't majestic castles, vast processions or extravagant riches and wealth. It was caring, loving, praying for and helping one another. Jesus Kingdom isn't built with bricks, metal and precious stones. Instead it's built with blood, sweat and tears in His Name and lasts forever ever and ever. After all, when Jesus created this world from the very beginning He always wanted us to just coexist in peace and love with Him as our friend and God but sadly we proved pretty quick as humans that without God we turn on each other and become corrupted desperately needing a Saviour. The Kingdom of God is built in love, it moves in love, it speaks in love, acts in love and believes in love. God is love and there was no greater way for Him to show His love for us than the creator willingly laying down His precious life to save us - His creation. True love is to put others needs first. Jesus did that when He died for us. That is the Kingdom of God. Father your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. † 

Ever felt like you don't belong everywhere you go? Ever felt like everyone else seems to fit in except you? Ever felt like you're not enough like the rest of them? Like you stand out as the odd one out in a packed room? Like they all got some message to be a certain type of thing but it must have missed you? Yeah, you have haven't you. Don't lose heart. Some of the greatest heroes of the bible were outcasts. Noah - used greatly by God to rebuild the human race - was called a madman and an outcast of society. Moses - an incredible leader who was used by God to save God's people - was an outcast shepherd for 40 years. Rahab the prostitute - a humble girl with a heart for God was used to bring down the mighty walls of Jericho - an outcast. Elijah - a truly amazing prophet of God used powerfully to open the eyes of his people to their God - was an outcast, an exile, a mountain man.


Ruth - the great grandmother to King David was a Moabite girl surrounded by death in her family and an outcast in a foreign land. King David - one of the greatest Kings of mankind that lived - was hunted and unfairly blamed despite only doing right. Esther - a beautiful Jewish princess in a foreign land with danger and betrayal on every side - was an outcast. John the baptist - the forerunner for the Messiah and called 'greatest born among women' by Jesus Christ - was an outcast and a wild man living in the wilderness. Mary and Joseph were outcasts in a foreign land forced to flee to Egypt to protect the life of their child - the Christ. And finally, Jesus Christ "despised and rejected of men" - the outcast of all outcasts - unfairly murdered by His own creation when all He brought was love and truth to this world.


I believe there's a reason you don't belong. You were made for so much more than to just be another cookie cutter pop-out clone of the others. You were made to stand out. Stop trying to be like them, instead be like Jesus. He walks with the outcasts, He calls them and welcomes them to Him. Don't listen to the voices that pull you down, instead listen to Jesus and His voice that leads and builds. He says "I will NEVER leave you or abandon you". Check your bible - Jesus didn't hang out with the religious types, the rich or the popular - in truth it was them that killed Him.


True heroes and leaders don't care for the opinions and public acceptance of others - instead they care for the plight of others even at their own expense. God loves you and knows you, He has great plans for you. I too am an outcast, I know just how it feels to be scorned and hated by many. I spent most of my life as a chameleon trying to shape shift into acceptable forms for those around me. Yet all it did was erode my identity and pierce my soul. Thanks to Jesus, I now know for a certainty that I am loved by Him - for who I am. I know my identity - I belong to Jesus.  I pray today that you will know that love too. In heaven I plan to party in the room with the outcasts and I warn you if I've got anything to do with it - it's going to be packed and its going to be LOUD! God loves you.

[ James 2:5 - Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? ] 

When is the last time you stopped and just stared at the ocean and it's incredible vastness, complexity, diversity and amazing flurry of constant life and activity? When is the last time you gazed into the sky and let the sunshine warm your face while tracing the lines of the clouds and letting your eyes wander to the far edges of the horizon? When is the last time you went outside at night all alone just to see the stars shining as beacons and testaments of light and hope in the thick endless darkness? Yet in all the immenseness of this amazing world around us by comparison we live on a tiny little green planet floating in orbit in a universe which spans far outside our tiny intellect and understanding. In truth - we as humans are so, so small in the scheme of things yet the Creator of all we see and know seeks a deep, intimate and individual relationship with you - His creation. So much so that He knows you better than you know yourself and wants to reveal exactly that to you. To say you are priceless is the understatement of the century. Put simply and without question - YOU ARE LOVED. I pray for you today as you read this that God reveals even more of your unfathomable worth in His eyes so much so that it changes you day and your life. 

[ Psalm 8:4 - What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? ]   

I'm sure you've all been to a wedding at least once in your lifetime. You would have probably heard a bible reading during the ceremony and its very often 1 Corinthians 13 - the passage about true love. And while you see these two beautiful people stand there with stars in their eyes for each other - it all fits the bill and makes sense. Love... ain't love grand hey :) But love isn't just picnics and sunrises. Love isn't just cute puppies and sentimental words. Love is a weapon. See the thing is that life isn't all that great or a lot of people. A lot of people suffer in silence with sickness, pain, fear, depression, loneliness, injustice, abuse as well as many, many other things. So what is love then? Rather than give you some boring dictionary definition instead I'll describe love to you. Love discards public opinion. Love gets its hands dirty to help. Love is messy and complicated. Love doesn't ignore reality. Love is fearless. Love is risky. Love goes into battle for others without all the formal training and qualifications. Love doesn't count the cost, it counts the pain of others. Love is scary and unpredictable. Love exposes pain. Love gives. Love is sacrifice.

In the Bible in Luke Chapter 10 Jesus taught a story of love about a traveller who was attacked by thieves and almost beaten to death. Three men saw him lying there on the road robbed and bleeding and they all had very different reactions. The first was a religious leader that worked in the church. He had position, good pay and a good name. People knew him well and he probably had on his best church clothes. He decided that his position and what he did was far more important than involving himself with some lowlife dirty bleeding man on the side of the road. After all, he already did so much for God and if he got blood and dirt on him he'd have to get changed and was already on his way to a church function. This first man quickly crossed to the other side of the road doing his best to pretend he couldn't hear the moans of pain coming from the dying man. A little while later another man came by, this one was also very religious but the difference here is that he had pedigree. He came from a long line of church goers who held very high up positions. Their family name was extremely well known for all the things they did in church for generations. Their family taught the bible, led worship, ran prayer groups as well as so many other things that everyone knew about.

They were known by all as a family that "the presence of God rested upon". But when it came time to put all that bible knowledge into action, this guy decided to also cross to the other side. You see, he was on his way to lead a corporate prayer meeting and if he was late, the people would think badly of him. He was so bound up by what others thought of him, he didn't stop to think what God thought of him. Sadly this man crossed to the other side of the road leaving the poor bleeding man to die alone. Lastly a foreigner came down this same road on business. He was travelling along and saw the man there on deaths doorstep. By now the man that had been attacked had lost a lot of blood and was suffering from heatstroke, dehydration and sever exhaustion from being left unattended in the hot sun. The foreigner raced to help him, he quickly gave him water and asked where he was from. Then after finding out the dying man was from the complete opposite direction the foreigner was headed he picked him up and put him on his own donkey and began the long trip back to the city where he could get him some help. He paid for his medical care and booked him into a hotel room and tended to his wounds and then notified the hotel that if the man needed any additional care to put on his account.

So... out of the three men that passed by who do you think showed us what love looks like? Pretty easy to spot love hey. Love is extravagant. Love doesn't care for the rules or what others think. Love isn't scared to get its hands dirty or risk getting its reputation marred. Love breaks appointments and gives time to others. God also showed me that love is one of the weapons of our warfare as believers in Jesus but love is an interesting one to say the least. Love is a blade so vast, so massive and so encompassing that it cannot be simply held, grasped or directed. So how to you fight using love then? You must die to self and let love wield you. It is love that directs you, holds you and moves you. You see God is love and no one can ever hope to control God. You just simply submit and instead let God's love control you just like Jesus did when He prayed in the garden before His death "Not my will but yours Father..." There is no greater example of love than to give up your life, your time, your ambitions, your dreams, your money, your well being and your reputation - all to help others in need. That is Love.

[ John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ] 

The truth is no one really likes tough times. As humans we like to avoid the rough seas and would much prefer to sail in pleasant tropical paradise harbours any day of the week. But no one learns anything from only comfort and ease. It's in the trials of adversity that our strength, character, faith and beliefs are tested to their limits and refined. King David knew this very well. When He was a shepherd boy in the wilderness he was often alone looking after his father's sheep. David was a good shepherd who loved his sheep and would fight and work hard to protect them. Imagine one day that David noticed one of his favourite lambs was missing, the little speckled one that always seemed to push the limits but had such a lovable heart. But today was different. David looked in all the usual hiding places and buster wasn't there. Then his heart sank. He noticed the little lambs footprints ended right where a lions paw prints began. He quickly checked on the other sheep and locked them in their pen, grabbed his staff and then set off to track the lion and his lost lamb...

The lions prints led across a snowy peak then down a steep slope into a dark shaded valley. David had been warned by many of this place... it was called 'The Valley of the Shadow of Death'. Even just looking at the valley gave David a cold chill over his all of his skin. The valley was dark and towering sharp cliff walls lined either side, so dark in fact you couldn't see any end to the valley at all. But something inside David pushed him on - His mind had thoughts of "just let it go, its just one lamb... and its probably dead anyway..." but he just couldn't leave buster there at the lions mercy. David was a shepherd and shepherds find their sheep. So He clenched his staff in his right hand and forged on into the darkness of the valley. At first he could see nothing at all, the blackness surrounded him and the stench of death and rotting flesh filled his lungs. But then he remembered the old prophet Samuel's words to him as a small boy...'Be still and know I AM God'. As he waited, his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. His other senses heightened also. Touch, smell, instinct, perception, insight. He now knew he was being watched from the caverns above. Rows of eyes glimmered in the darkness as they took spectacle to what they thought was the next victim of the valley...

He could smell his lamb now - a very faint smell of lambs blood. Following the smell, he rounded the corner and to his surprise perched atop a thorn bush he saw buster his lamb quietly bleating as he saw his master. He was still alive but badly wounded and barely breathing. It all seemed too easy. Something wasn't right... His skin tingled again as he smelt his attacker and sensed behind him an ambush. The whole thing was a trap! The lion had dragged the lamb to this place all along wanting David to be his prey. He ducked as the lion lunged over his head with claws just skimming his hair and clothes. A fire ignited in David's eyes. The same thing had happened before with the bear. He remembered again Samuel's words to him... "Listen to the Spirit's voice inside. It is quiet, but has absolute confidence and authority. Move when it says move, stop when it says stop" He gripped his staff and knew he only had one chance. Fail and you die. The lion gained it's footing and came for a second attack this time directly at David's face. David waited... his feet locked in position, His staff wedged under the rock face above him. With just milliseconds to spare David heard God's voice and shifted his footing as the lion made its deadly lunge only inches from his face. Large rocks from above showered down and collapsed on the lion pinning him to the ground. David knew his opponent was defeated and so did the lion. He walked over to the lion and grabbed its beard and stared into its large majestic eyes. Even though the lion was his enemy, he sensed respect from the great beast. He knew that this lion would never come near his sheep again. He had faced his enemy and with the help of God, He had won. He then gently rescued buster from the thorns and put him on his shoulders and headed back home to the other sheep. But now David was different. Very, very different. You don't fight a lion head on, stare into it's defeated eyes and come back the same. Twice now this fire had sprung up in him and he had a feeling that it wasn't the last time...

So when trials come, remember God won't allow anything to happen to you that He doesn't believe you can handle with His grace and strength. Alone you will fail, but with Him you will overcome and come out the other side a very different person. Stronger, wiser, lighter. A sword smith makes the finest and strongest swords by first choosing a precious metal, then once the blade is formed it must be hardened in the fires to produce the type of strength He desires that can withstand the fiercest heat of battle. No one gets any stronger in the gym by lifting boxes of tissues, you must lift weights heavier than you normally would in order to gain and produce muscle strength. God wants you to be strong in Him. Don't rely on your own experience, knowledge or strength - rely on Him for His strength, wisdom and patience in your trial. He is faithful and He loves you and promises to never leave you. Do not fear the fire, because just like the three men in the furnace in Daniel chapter 3  - in the fire you will find God. God loves you.

[ 1 Peter 4:12 - Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ] 

I personally know what it's like to grow up in a broken home and to carry the unexplainable pain that it puts on a person as a result. I also know what it's like to feel rejection, abandomnent, shame, hatred, rage, fear, lust, greed, pride, addictions and all those nasty other things that attach themselves to unresolved pain. The simple truth is this - there is only freedom in and through Jesus Christ. I tried things my way for many, many years and I can tell you if you plan to go down that road, you're wasting your time. Sooner or later you will end up back at square one. My freedom came swiftly when I gave up my ways and said "I'm done... I need you Jesus... I'm doing things your way now". He took my pain and exchanged it for purpose, love and peace. The thing is this though, Jesus told us to "bear one anothers burdens and you will fulfill the law of the Christ" in Galatians 6:2. We can't take others burdens away - only Jesus can do that as it says in 1 Peter 5:7 - but we can lighten the load and make someones day a little easier by carrying it with them. Just like Simon the Cyrene carried Jesus cross up the hill so that Jesus could get to where He needed to be, we can help others by listening, showing we care, taking the time to help, maybe giving something that God prompts us to give and praying for each other.

If you're someone who's not felt that kind of immense internal pain that comes from deep rejection then consider yourself very blessed by God - but also consider yourself someone able to help - someone able to shoulder the load with someone in need. For me back then when I was at my worst, I would have given anything just to have someone listen and try to understand my pain. Even if you don't fully understand, it helps far beyond your realisation just to listen. Even better to gently listen and pray with and for someone. Look around you, this world needs God so badly. There is rejection on every single corner and behind nearly every set of eyes that God created. By being obedient to God you could be the catalyst of healing to a person that's been trapped in a personal and invisible prison of pain all their life. If we all did this - what would happen? We aren't the answer to peoples problems, the truth is we can't even help ourselves let alone stand for long on our own. But what we can do is point people to The One who is the answer to all of this world's problems. His name is JESUS, the perfect Saviour. And He saves ALL who call on His Name. God loves you - stay gold :) I personally know what it's like to grow up in a broken home and to carry the unexplainable pain that it puts on a person as a result. I also know what it's like to feel rejection, abandomnent, shame, hatred, rage, fear, lust, greed, pride, addictions and all those nasty other things that attach themselves to unresolved pain. The simple truth is this - there is only freedom in and through Jesus Christ. I tried things my way for many, many years and I can tell you if you plan to go down that road, you're wasting your time. Sooner or later you will end up back at square one. My freedom came swiftly when I gave up my ways and said "I'm done... I need you Jesus... I'm doing things your way now". He took my pain and exchanged it for purpose, love and peace. The thing is this though, Jesus told us to "bear one anothers burdens and you will fulfill the law of the Christ" in Galatians 6:2. We can't take others burdens away - only Jesus can do that as it says in 1 Peter 5:7 - but we can lighten the load and make someones day a little easier by carrying it with them. Just like Simon the Cyrene carried Jesus cross up the hill so that Jesus could get to where He needed to be, we can help others by listening, showing we care, taking the time to help, maybe giving something that God prompts us to give and praying for each other. carry the unexplainable pain that it puts on a person as a result. I also know what it's like to feel rejection, abandomnent, shame, hatred, rage, fear, lust, greed, pride, addictions and all those nasty other things that attach themselves to unresolved pain. The simple truth is this - there is only freedom in and through Jesus Christ. I tried things my way for many, many years and I can tell you if you plan to go down that road, you're wasting your time. Sooner or later you will end up back at square one. My freedom came swiftly when I gave up my ways and said "I'm done... I need you Jesus... I'm doing things your way now". He took my pain and exchanged it for purpose, love and peace. The thing is this though, Jesus told us to "bear one anothers burdens and you will fulfill the law of the Christ" in Galatians 6:2. We can't take others burdens away - only Jesus can do that as it says in 1 Peter 5:7 - but we can lighten the load and make someones day a little easier by carrying it with them. Just like Simon the Cyrene carried Jesus cross up the hill so that Jesus could get to where He needed to be, we can help others by listening, showing we care, taking the time to help, maybe giving something that God prompts us to give and praying for each other.


If you're someone who's not felt that kind of immense internal pain that comes from deep rejection then consider yourself very blessed by God - but also consider yourself someone able to help - someone able to shoulder the load with someone in need. For me back then when I was at my worst, I would have given anything just to have someone listen and try to understand my pain. Even if you don't fully understand, it helps far beyond your realisation just to listen. Even better to gently listen and pray with and for someone. Look around you, this world needs God so badly. There is rejection on every single corner and behind nearly every set of eyes that God created. By being obedient to God you could be the catalyst of healing to a person that's been trapped in a personal and invisible prison of pain all their life. If we all did this - what would happen? We aren't the answer to peoples problems, the truth is we can't even help ourselves let alone stand for long on our own. But what we can do is point people to The One who is the answer to all of this world's problems. His name is JESUS, the perfect Saviour. And He saves ALL who call on His Name. God loves you - stay gold :) 

I was walking through the shopping centre a few days ago and saw people from a charity asking for money to help an overseas aid effort and those in need. God brought to mind the verse "He who gives to the poor, lends to the Lord and He will repay". The truth is, no matter where you live in this world there will always be the poor. Poor doesn't always mean you don't have a lot of money. People can be rich in possessions yet desperately poor in value for themselves. People can also be very destitute of earthly goods, yet be rich in blessing and life from God their Father. Jesus told us in Matthew 25:37-40 that whenever you give and help those in need, you do it to Jesus himself. The whole purpose of us as humans on this earth is to coexist - to help one another - to live in peace. Eve was created for Adam for this very reason, to help him and to be a companion. It was always originally intended that they would help one another and tend to the garden of Eden together in unity. And we are created for the same purpose - to be a single body that cares, protects and helps one another honouring and bringing glory to God. No one is an island and were not meant to fight through life alone. God wants us to live in peace and harmony showing love and compassion to one another and not just in word - but also in action. Giving to others doesn't always have to be money either. Sometimes people need someone just to listen, maybe someone to physically help or just be there. And praying for one another is one of the best ways you can ever help anyone in need. So today can I encourage you, if you ever do give to the poor and those in need - know that it goes far further than just the individual that receives it. Jesus said that when you show love and sacrificial compassion to others, you're also doing it to Him. And He promises that the things you do in secret, Your Father in heaven sees openly and will reward you. God loves you.  

[ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17 ]

God is good - all the time. This isn't just a hopeful phrase that people who live in a pretty, perfect little sheltered world without trouble say, it's a fact about God's nature. God is good and only good. He has no darkness in Him at all. He is a good loving Father. Sometimes we do not fully understand His love, but He always loves us. He doesn't do evil, and He doesn't bring evil. He is Holy, True and Just. I've had a few discussions with atheists that often bring up things like why is there rape in the world, why all the disease, why the poverty etc? My answer is always the same, we as humans are the cause of those things. We live in a fallen world and it's corruption is because we corrupt ourselves and need a Saviour. God is always good, faithful and true but people are most certainly not.

Sadly many churches and Christians aren't good either and have hurt many, many people in the name of God. We as humans often like to blame someone else for our own bad choices instead of taking ownership for them because if we did take ownership then we are one step closer to repentance and change for the better. And there is someone who very much doesn't want that to happen. We as humans have an enemy and have had from the very beginning. His name is Satan, the Devil. He is the opposite of God. He is evil and only evil. He has been out to undermine the relationship we have with God our Father since the start and he's still very much at ittoday. He whispers "God isn't good, if He was good He wouldn't have allowed this..." Yet it is the Devil that steals, kills and destroys and brings only sorrow and destruction then does his best to make us think it's God to blame. He desperately wants you to believe the lie that God isn't good. Just like He said to Adam and Eve, just like he said to Job, and just like He said to Jesus in the wilderness.

The thing is, God doesn't want robots - He wants us to choose. He wants us to know the Truth about Him. Unlike the Devil, God is love and doesn't manipulate our hearts or force us to do anything. God also has nothing to prove to us, He more than showers us with His grace and love every single day we breathe and live on this planet and made a way for us to be in close relationship with Him through Jesus Christ God's Son. So why is knowing that 'God is good' so important? Because once your eyes are opened to the powerful truth that God is good and only good despite what comes along in our lives - we can weather any storm. The devil needs you to believe the lie that God isn't good, because once you know the truth - He can't touch you anymore.

Just like Jesus, we can stand against our enemy the Devil defiantly in God's love knowing that we do not need to bow to fear because God is with us and for us. We have a Heavenly Father that loves us and there is nothing at all in Heaven or Hell that can can touch, grasp, damage or even compete with the sheer vastness of His unfathomable love. We are forever safe in in His love. Romans 8:38-39 tells us that nothing at all can separate us from God's love. Even in death, His love still triumphs. God's love was demonstrated when Jesus rose from the dead - The Father calling His one and only Son He loves back to Him. God's love is really that powerful. It can raise the dead, heal the sick and save anyone who receives His love. So today, I pray that God opens your eyes to the truth that 'God is good'. You have nothing to fear. He loves you and is for you. Stand as a child of the King. Walk strong in the love of the Father. 

So what is Hope anyway? Is it just a girls name? Is it something you say to a sick person? Is it a positive emotional response to a problem? What is hope really? I was someone who never had any hope. I was always negative and always expected and believed the worst would happen to me. I wasn't really thankful for much in my life despite having so much. I was nasty, mean and bitter about a lot of things. I believed the lie that I was a product of a broken home, a failure. Second class rubbish that had no use apart from being used and abused. I didn't value myself at all and allowed people to harm me very badly. All because I had no hope. Several years ago my life really started to fall apart and I was diagnosed with depression and put on medication for it. The cracks could no longer be hidden and they had become deep chasms of darkness that were leaking out pain for all to see. My loved ones and my family felt that pain explode in their direction every time they came close.

Then that day - when my pride had finally died - Jesus met me right when I needed Him. He came and literally ripped out of me what didn't belong. With His strong arm He tore from me the unwanted guest that lived in me - death itself. That day I was set free. Everything changed and I mean EVERYTHING. The pain died that day in a tremendous way. My eyes were opened. I now knew the truth. I now knew His power and His authority. I now knew what He could really do. I knew what I was and know what I am now - a free man. All because of Him. Now - I have hope. So what is hope? Hope is expectancy placed on One who is faithful and mighty to save. Hope is believing in the One who loves us, hears us and fights for us. I now have hope because of what Jesus did for me. He changed me forever and set me free from all the pain and death that tormented me and that made my life a living hell. I have hope because of my King and what He can do. I also learnt that hope is as weapon. A truly powerful weapon that is transferable to others. If you give yourself to hope you are given the power to lift and help others fight in their battles.

Hope is so much more than just a sentiment, so much more than just a feeling, so much more than just a wish. It's the expectant trust placed in our Saviour who hears, loves and saves us. I saw the power of hope when I sat in a doctors office and the doctor asked me how I was going on my antidepressants. I told her that I wasn't taking them any more and hadn't been for over a year. She sounded very concerned and asked what I was taking instead and I told her I'm not taking anything anymore. I don't have depression anymore. She looked extremely puzzled as the medical world has no cure for depression and asked how this could be. I told her I was simply prayed for and God set me free in a single day. She asked if I was OK and I told her "no, I'm not OK, I'm far better than OK - my life has never ever been this good". Silence fell on the room and after a minute or so she looked at me again and said "I used to go to church when I was a little girl..." That day, that doctor called Sarah saw hope. It was something far more powerful than what she had in her life and the whole of her medical training had given her. It challenged her to question what she believed. Hope is the horn of war. It is the voice that yells into the darkness "Wake Up!!!" Can you hear it? Hope is here. His Name is Jesus. He's the answer to it all. He is called the Hope of Nations.

[ In His name the nations will put their hope. - Matthew 12:21 ]