For a few weeks now, I’ve been a regular contributor for a wonderful organization called I Am That Girl (http://www.iamthatgirl.com/). I’ve had the privileged of sharing my thoughts and stories to inspire young women who visit the site. It’s truly a dream come true knowing that my words can make a difference.
In this season of wonderful treats, glowing lights, and happy carols I wrote an article that will be coming out next week on the topic of hope. I wanted to share this with you all through my own blog today. I feel the message of hope is such a critical and beautiful message this time of year. The Christmas season is not joyous to all, but life is beautiful and hope shines through.
Here ya go and my hope is that these words can reach and touch more hearts for this season.
In this Christmas season, the word hope comes up more often than not. No matter what religion you are, all cannot deny that Christmas with its glistening lights, and blissful music provides the message of hope to all. As I think about my own life, I think about how easy it is for me to find and feel hope in my life. I have been overwhelmingly blessed, and I do believe in the strength of Jesus, and the hope he provides for my life, but what about the millions of other struggling during this season? So many struggle with loss, tragedy, poverty, and hurt during this season.
I’ve had the privilege of serving on missions teams to the Dominican Republic with some close friends. This past summer I was a leader serving alongside a great group of high-schoolers. I wish everyone had the opportunity to visit third world countries to truly see what it feels like to find hope in hopeless places. The Dominican people, specifically those of the beautiful, beach community of Sosua, hold a very dear place in my heart. They have given me love, and opened my eyes to true happiness in life when you have nothing. They’ve shown me true hope in the most hopeless, dirty, tiresome circumstances. The will to live, and be a part of your community can keep that light of hope going when you have nothing in your cupboards.
The reality is that these lives of hopelessness, poverty, and despair are happening right in our backyard as well. The real challenge is to find that slight beam of hope in the most hopeless of circumstances. I read a quote the other day by Leonard Cohen that says, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” How beautiful is that? The reality is that we all have brokenness in our hearts. This world is too brutal sometimes not to have cracked, but that’s how the lights gets in. That’s where the hope shines into our souls in our darkest moments instilling a will to keep going. And in this season of glowing lights, capture that heavenly bliss, hold onto it, store it in our soul, and keep going.
You may be overwhelmingly blessed when it comes to basic necessities, but in all our lives we could all use a little more light in our cracks of darkness. This season, if you’re struggling to find hope to keep going, or keep believing in the good of this life, take heart in the fact that you are not alone. Hope is always there, but sometimes in our stormy season’s we just have to search a little harder, wait a little longer, and pray a little longer. Never stop looking for the light to capture your soul. Season’s come and go, but this life is a beautiful thing to be a part of.
Merry Christmas and Hope to all through this beautiful season! 🙂
Kelsey McCafferty Designs 