Hope Floats
Note from Kristi Graner
What are you hoping for these days?
The Lord has been speaking to me the last several months about my responsibility to raise hope in myself.
Nurturing hope is a responsibility for everyone who follows the Lord. We all know that we have a Savior who gives us abundant life. He is our hope.
But we also have an enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy – that is the weight that seeks to drown us in confusion, despair and hopelessness.
Our challenge in this life is to stir up hope in ourselves and in those around us.
Hope is an interesting thing. We have the capability to grow hope by the way we think, how we focus our attention and in what we say.
Faith is a bit different. Faith is a gift from God… he gives us faith. I can’t create faith, but I can make sure that I have hope. Hope is vital to tending the health of my heart.
Hope keeps the “soil” of my heart and soul fertile and healthy: the perfect environment for seeds of faith to take root, grow and bear fruit.
In the parable of the Sower (Luke 8), Jesus describes how seeds of faith are scattered freely among people. Faith itself is a gift from the Lord that is freely distributed into our lives.
How we have prepared ourselves to receive these “seeds of faith” makes all the difference in what happens next.
As the Lord freely scatters faith, sometimes faith grows and sometimes faith dies.
When there is a lack of hope in our hearts, faith is choked out and we are left lacking.
“The seed among the thorns represents those who listen and believe God’s words but whose faith afterwards is choked out by worry and riches and the responsibilities and pleasures of life. And so, they are never able to help anyone else to believe the Good News.” – Luke 8:14
It is a reality of life that we do have things to worry about; we have responsibilities, concerns and even fears. These burdens are not simply available to us – they are actively offering to seep into any available access point into our soul.
As I think about these encumbrances, I can feel how easy it is to sink into an ocean of hopelessness. It is readily available for me to access.
This is why Jesus gave us so many instructions about cultivating hope in our own hearts and in the hearts of others. Because HOPE FLOATS. Hope is the tool we have that will help us to rise above the worry, concerns, darkness and despair.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8
Jesus makes it pretty clear that we don’t need a lot of faith to make things happen – but we do need hope. We need to keep our eyes on Him and believe He is who He says He is.
Remember what Jesus told the disciples when they wanted to know how to get more faith:
“One day the apostles said to the Lord, ‘We need more faith; tell us how to get it.’ ‘If your faith were only the size of a mustard seed,’ Jesus answered, ‘it would be large enough to uproot that mulberry tree over there and send it hurtling into the sea! Your command would bring immediate results!'” – Luke 17:5-6
As I write this, we are in a transitional season at Dare to Believe Ministries.
Upgrades are coming, new life is being released, but we are in the middle and can’t see the promises yet.
I want to ask you as a friend and partner of Dare to Believe Ministries to join us in growing more hope in this season.
As many of you know, we have been looking for a larger ministry space for several years. Our vision is to continue what we have been doing at DTB, plus add a community-based coffee shop and a community space that we can rent out and use for our events.
God has brought us the people to lead the coffee shop and community space – now we just need the location.
Our lease at our current location is expiring soon and we are ready to move when God says go. Our current landlord has asked for a long-term lease, which we do not feel peace about signing.
We believe something will be happening soon, and it’s going to be a blessing. In each transition we’ve experienced as a ministry, God has showed up with something GOOD. He won’t stop now!
So, we are getting ready to “move our tent” like Abraham did. We know that God has told us where we are not staying, but we don’t know quite yet where we are going.
We are working with some local churches about leasing space from them temporarily while we find our long-term home. So, ministry will continue on as it has been – nothing will need to stop. God is so good.
Would you join us in fasting for breakthrough? Beginning Monday, October 3 and going through Friday, October 7, we are fasting and seeking the Lord for breakthrough for Dare to Believe Ministries.
Fasting will involve talking to the Lord (and consulting your healthcare advisors if needed) about what He wants you to eliminate from your life for that week: food, sweets, meats, media, etc. Then as you fast and pray, please ask the Lord about what He wants to do for Dare to Believe Ministries.
We would love to hear what He shares with you! As you discern and receive during your fasting time, please email any insights, discernments or wisdom to Kristi at kristi@dare2believe.biz.
Together we are positioning ourselves for an upgrade. Together we are fostering hope for a new and fruitful season.
On behalf of the entire DTB team, we are so glad you are part of this ministry!
Love and Blessings,
Kristi
