1/8/2022

“Consider Him… so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Heb. 12:3

It’s a daily discipline. You would think I would get this by now. You would think I would have mastered this Hope thing.

But daily I have a choice: consider Jesus, Kristi, or you will grow weary and lose heart. Set your eyes on things above, not in things below. Whenever discouragement sets in, it is ALWAYS because I have taken my eyes off the upward vision. But when I look up… what glory. And it’s so easy to have my heart flooded with Hope.

Our return from Craig in mid-December brought us back to a flurry of busyness between house modifications and Christmas activities. Christmas was wonderful and simple as we just rested in fellowship with our family, our Front Line of Defense on this journey. It was Joyful. So glad to all be together. A year ago, Zac was waking up alone on Christmas morning. So grateful to be past that.

New Years was spent in Lincoln City with extended family. The fellowship was so sweet as Zac reconnected with family that had not seen him post-injury yet. They were not quite sure what it would feel like to see Zac, who they have watched grow up, now in a wheelchair. But they told me, “it really wasn’t any different. He’s still just Zac.” Such a good reminder. We are ALL on a constant journey of changes. Zacs changes may seem more obvious, yet we ALL are adapting to the journey God has us on, and it takes us all equal measures of courage to continue at time.

New Years Eve Zac presented me with a beautiful necklace that he designed: a gold flower with 6 petals, each embedded with the birthstone of our family members. But the center of the flower held the largest stone of all. Beautiful blue stone. “I did some research, Mom. That semi-precious gem is an Amazonite. It is nicknamed the Hope Stone. It is what centers us all.”

Of course, I started to cry. Because that truth hit me. Because I’m tired. Because God is so good. Because his thoughtfulness overwhelmed me.

The Hope Stone. I looked it up: “Its turquoise is seen as the bridge between the blues of a cold winter and the greens of springtime laden with life. No matter how cold the winter might be, there is always a springtime to look forward to.”

Thank you, Jesus. What do you have in store for us this year?

We returned to Brookings, still living in our temporary rental, and I went up to our new property to see what had been completed in my absence. Remember, our new house is on top of a steep, muddy hill… and I saw a newly poured cement path with a connecting ramp to the kitchen door that had just been built.

And I began to cry again. “It’s so much Lord. But these ramps remind me that YOU are making a way through this wilderness; You will not fail Zac; YOU will blaze this trail for him.”

That beautiful Hope stone, now resting close to my heart. I can’t see it when I’m wearing it, but Zac can see it when he looks at me. And I see hope reflected in his face.

2022 #zacsHope 2.0

Let’s do this, Lord.