Hymn of Promise

I wasn't doing much singing as I walked on a windy Kansas morning. It felt more like trudging, as I leaned into the wind, put one foot in front of the other, and kept moving. And then I heard them. Even though the wind was whistling and moaning, I could hear the trill of birds. Why were they singing? They had to be struggling with the ferocity of the wind. They are just little bits of bone and feather bucking a 30 mph wind. They certainly had nothing to sing about, did they? But sing they did. They didn't have their head down, merely getting the job done. They were rejoicing in a new day. And I should be, too.

Psalms 25: 4-5 NLT says: Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you."

One definition for hope is "to look forward to with confidence or expectation." When we bring hope, we bring life. It is life changing to hope. It is more than just asking God for something we so badly need; we must expect our miracle. Somewhere in the midst of asking, believing, and expecting God to answer, we will find what we are looking for. Are you looking for HOPE in your life? Check out the HOPE page on the Lovely Branches Ministries website. It's all about the hope we can find in Jesus Christ. Sometimes we must walk forward, bucking the wind with every step. It may not be the wind on a Kansas morning. The winds that blow through our lives could be illness, death, financial setbacks, a fight with a friend, world conflicts, natural disasters, family troubles ... the list goes on and on. But so do God's promises: Psalm 31: 24 says:

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

April brings us Easter this year. As the world wakes up from its winter sleep and puts on the newness of spring, isn't it fitting that we will celebrate Christ's awakening from a tomb? He is no longer there! He is alive! Hope is alive! Hallelujah! Even though Hymn of Promise isn't a traditional Easter hymn, for me, it perfectly illustrates the hope that we can find if we place our faith in Jesus Christ and his promises. Happy Easter!

Hymn of Promise
In the bulb, there is a flower In the seed, an apple tree. In cocoons a hidden promise Butterflies will soon be free. In the cold and snow of winter There's a spring that waits to be Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

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There's a song in every silence, seeking word and melody. There's a dawn in every darkness, bringing HOPE to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
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In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity; In our doubt, there is believing;
in our life, eternity. In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
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Easter means ham at our house! Do you HOPE for leftovers? Me, too! I have several recipes that help put all those leftovers to good use. If you are looking for tried and true ham casserole recipes, check these out!

Joyce's Stovetop Ham Casserole

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Plantation Turkey (and Ham)
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Ham and Cheese Casserole