Welcome back to the Created To Thrive Podcast, where we unpack the abundant life that God has designed for each of us. I’m your host, Lori K. Snyder, and today we have a powerful episode lined up for you.

We’re diving deep into the power of hope and how it can transform our lives like never before. You see, hope is more than just wishful thinking or empty optimism. It’s a confident expectation of future good, anchored in the unfailing promises of God.

Life can be full of disappointments and challenges that make it hard to hold on to hope. You might have been told to not get your hopes up about a situation.  It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of the promises that God has for us. Without hope, we may feel stuck, lost, and unable to find the strength to trust God and move forward in faith. 

As a resiliency coach and Bible teacher, I guide individuals in bouncing back from setbacks and finding hope and faith in the midst of trials.  I know first hand the battle of feeling hopeless, and I was recently a guest on my friend Chris Cree’s live broadcast called Two for Tuesday, where I share some of my journey and we teach on the power of hope. I didn’t want you, my listeners to miss out, so today I’m sharing some of this episode.  

We will unpack the depth of what true hope means, understand the negative impacts of hopelessness, and why we need to abound in hope to see God’s promises fulfilled and have stronger faith. We will share practical strategies and personal insights on how we can cultivate, nurture, and sustain hope in our daily lives. 

If you want to strengthen your faith, you can listen to more of Chris’s live Two for Tuesday broadcasts where he has amazing guest who teach God’s Word to help you grow. I will have that link in the show notes. I also want to encourage you to make sure you are subscribed to this Created To Thrive podcast, where we equip and empower you to live a life of purpose and fulfillment. 

My friends, whether you’re going through a difficult season, experiencing loss or disappointment, or simply seeking to deepen your faith, this episode is for you. This episode will help you understand how faith, hope and love are foundations for a thriving live.

So grab a cup of coffee, find a comfortable spot, and get ready to be inspired, encouraged, and empowered as we explore the importance of hope in our lives and how we can confidently anchor our hope in the unwavering goodness of our Heavenly Father. You don’t want to miss this. Stay tuned for our conversation with Chris Cree. 

Connect with Chris Cree: Learn more about & support New CREEations Ministries: https://newcreeations.org

Connect with Lori: https://loriksnyder.com

Key scriptures:, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Hebrews 11:1, Proverbs 13:12, Romans 15:13, Hebrews 6:19

Discussion points:

– Importance of learning to grieve for growth

– The physical and emotional sickness caused by deferred hope

– Desires of the heart for security, love, and connection

– Acknowledging the necessity of these desires for well-being

– Lack of desires leading to sickness or depression- Managing expectations and disappointments

– Seeking solace and encouragement from God in challenging times

– Acknowledgment that Christians are not immune to troubles and hardships

– Belief that God will use everything for their good

– Importance of redirecting focus to Jesus and seeking guidance from Him

– Psalm 37:4 and the promise of desires fulfilled when delighting in the Lord

– Core desires for feeling safe and secure

– God as the rock of refuge and source of trust and security

– The metaphorical tree of life representing a sense of meaningfulness and satisfaction

– Fulfilling desires to feel alive and energized

– Admiral Stockdale’s observation about surviving captivity and unrealistic expectations

– Importance of maintaining hope while facing the reality of the present

– Finding hope in the truth, even without faith yet

– Holding on to hope and not giving up, knowing God’s word is true

– Receiving promises through faith and patience

– Connection between hope and faith, pulling it from the spiritual into the natural

– Understanding the impact of hope deferred and the narratives we tell ourselves

– The power of Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life

– Romans 15:13 and the filling of believers with joy, peace, and hope through the Holy Spirit

– Reference to Psalm 42 and David’s encouragement to have hope in God

– Emphasizing love as the foundation of life and receiving God’s love

– Love as the foundation, hope built upon love, and faith built upon hope

– Seeing through the eyes of love and having hope based on God’s promises

– Understanding Bible hope as confident expectation of future good.