Hope …

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while,
you probably know …

I live on a Parade Route!

(For the backstory, click HERE!)

The minute the “Stay Home” order went into effect, the parade has been at summer weekend heights … Every. Day.!! Parking is crowded, the walking path is not obeying social distancing and crowds we only see on summer weekends happen, every. day. of. the. week. Talk about what day is it? Nothing in my environment helps orient me 😉

So, early on seeing the throngs of people walking on the other side of the road and spilling onto our side,  people have commented, “There’s too many people over there!”, the thought occurred to me, “God, is there something I can do?”

The reality of global disease has arrested all of us with feelings of helplessness. I think. What difference can I make? Really? Who can I help through this, besides my household? What encouragement could I give?

Knowing I live in a place where lots of people pass my window, is certainly a unique situation, and I truly prayed about how God could use my physical location and what my part might be.

Lots of things crossed my mind. Some seemed silly. Others were logistically difficult, and I couldn’t figure out how to make them work. I finally said, “God if there is something I could do … show me! Enlighten me!” In this “stay home” world, filled with anxiety producing daily news, what help could I be?

About two days later, I was watching a church service online and a song I never heard before grabbed me. It kept running through my mind and I just knew it was my answer. So, I ran it by my husband and daughter and got confirmation.

So … this is what I did …

I wanted to give hope. Not worldly hope, but spiritual hope. I wanted to offer to anyone who hadn’t heard … there is HOPE … and HE HAS A NAME. Hope is not mysterious or mythological, just a feeling or hunch, or an attitude…

Hope is a person …

HOPE HAS A NAME, HIS NAME IS JESUS!

Just so happens the week I put it up, our azaleas all BLOOMED …

Which always causes people to look at our house and even take pictures every year! And this year, they had more to look at. Isn’t that just like God to frame His hope with beauty! I made it as big as I could on my printer. We’ve had people walk across the street. We’ve seen people stop on the other side of the street. We’ve had people take pictures.

Once, my husband was in the yard, a couple came over and said,

“We came over to take a closer look at your sign.”

It’s not monumental, or unique, it’s not even creative… signs are everywhere. But it was a prompting meant to point hopeless people to hope. Or to reaffirm to some who were weary. It’s been up for about 7 weeks. I think it’s about run its course, now that Phase 1 is rolling out.

I have no idea if it meant anything to anyone, but God will take care of that. I was responsible for my part! If nothing else, I certainly saw it every day … backwards … it encouraged my heart!

Maybe God prompted you to do something different during this unique time in history.
Share it with us in the comments. We’d love to hear about it.
It’ll encourage all of us.

If you aren’t familiar with the song, here’s a link … my mind is still playing it on repeat!! It’s a great one, if you ask me … click below

Hope Has A Name

Hope IS a Name,

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