Take a minute to listen to this song in order to prepare for your devotional:
Now take some time to read through Hebrews 11. It's a longer chapter, so I'll give you a few minutes. Seriously, read it and then come back to this.
I love the first verse of this chapter, the verse describing what faith is. Faith is have confidence, being sure of the hope that we have.
Hope is being able to see a better future. We see what our lives and world are like now, and it's messy. But hope says, "This can be better." And we can be encouraged by those who have gone before us, keeping the faith even when hope seems lost. They keep their hope because they know that God is making something even better.
Take a moment to respond to these questions here on the blog (seriously, write your answers out here):
- Who is someone in your life that has always had faith? What gave them their hope?
- On this mission trip you can be that person for someone, either another team member or someone that we will meet on the mission field. You can be the inspiration for someone else to have faith, to see that there is hope in all situations, a better future. What are some ways that you can show the hope that you have to other people on the mission trip?
1. My mom has always had faith since I have been at least, but anyway what gave them hope I think was knowing that God is always going to be their for you no matter what happens he's always going to back you up and help you out no matter what happens.
ReplyDelete2. Well first I can tell someone about the hope that I have and why I have that hope, and maybe I can think of a story to tell why I have that hope. I can also have a good attitude just in general when I am around people and that can show them the hope in a way.
1. As far I as know my no has always had faith, at least since I was born. I am not sure what gave her hope, I'm guessing someone came and intervened in her life to set her on the course she's on today
ReplyDelete2. One way to show that you have hope during this trip is to be positive even when the worst has came. I know it's hard to always be positive, but it would be a way to show you have hope especially for what we are doing. Another way to show hope is to during this trip is to not judge someone on what they do. If you judge them in a negative way and say they have a bad future ahead that's not being very hopeful. Instead you could pray about their future that they would be put on the right track and be prosperous in God.
1. People in my life that have always had faith are my parents. I can see The Lord move in them with their actions and the decisions they make. I can't say for sure, but I think the thought of having a relationship with Jesus Christ is what gave them faith. Having a relationship with Him makes life worth living.
ReplyDelete2. I can show the hope that I have to other people on the mission trip by living my life for Christ. I will be conscious of my actions and reflect Him through them. Another way I can show hope is by encouraging others and constantly having a positive attitude. Some of the tasks on the mission trip will be difficult, but I know through Christ we can accomplish them together as a team.
1. One person who has always had faith is my mom. She has always told me about the word of God, even though we didn't go to church very often, she always kept me in faith. What always gave her hope is that she knew there was always a God up there.
ReplyDelete2. I could be that person by just being a positive team member and showing/spreading God's word. I think that is coming down there and helping is a big way of showing hope towards the people whom we are helping.
1) Someone in my life that has always had faith is one of my elementary teachers, Mr. Shaffer. The people around him and his students in is class gave him hope and helped him to keep his faith.
ReplyDelete2) A way that I can show the hope that I have to other people on the mission trip is by encouraging them to have hope and tell them why I have hope. Another way that I can show that I have hope is by showing a positive attitude towards the mission trip, even if I end up helping with a job that I don't particularly like.
-Kennedy Ash
Ingrid is the first person I think of when I think of faith. She has placed her hope in her belief in Christ and lives her life in that manner. It is one of the many characteristics that she has that I admire.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the trip is concerned, the best way to show hope, in my opinion, is to simply live it out. I can talk the talk all I want to, but the most important thing I can do is walk the walk. Going above and beyond for someone, even when they don't know you are doing it, is one example of a way to walk the walk. Stepping up to do something that needs done without being asked or asking if there is something else that needs done when it looks like the task is complete.
Our roles will all be different, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the faith of each one of us will be lived out leading up to the trip, throughout the trip, and beyond.
Scott, I love your last comment! We're not a herd of Christian robots. Each one of us is a unique creation. Each one of us is on our own personal faith journey. But, we also have the joy of being with our fellow travelers!
DeleteFaith. Wow. Just the word makes me think of something that is beyond myself. I have had many people in my life that I have known to have faith. My husband. My daughters. My mom and dad. My in-laws. My siblings and sibling in-laws. Many people from church. Some of my friends. Other family members. The one thing that all those people have had in common is their belief in Jesus Christ and their desire to follow Him. I believe their hope has come from Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThere was a song that I loved when I was growing up called "Find us Faithful".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=jWyzmYB68EI
It speaks of those who walked before us and those who follow behind us...that they will find us faithful. When I think about a way I can show hope during the mission trip, I immediately think of the lyrics of this song. They challenge me to live my life in a way that those I interact with and those who come after me will find my actions and my life one that is faithful. I want my words and my actions to reflect my love of Jesus and point others to his love.
1. My parents have always had strong faith. My dad has faith and he gets his hope from knowing Jesus. Jesus gives us hope and allows us to live out our faith. My mom also has strong faith. Her hope is rooted in Jesus as well. Jesus is the entire foundation of hope and faith.
ReplyDelete2. On the mission trip I can show hope to others by working hard and keeping the goal in mind. Also, I can give others hope by acting more like Jesus and showing love. WWJD?
1. A dear friend in the Gideons immediately comes to mind. His trust, confidence, and faith in the Lord anchor his whole life which lead to his on-going experiences,interactions, and relationship with the Trinity. All of this "cements" his hope and it just continues to grow.
ReplyDelete2.I believe my hope will be "shown" by my relationship with the Lord. I just need to be real, neither concealing it or trying to artificially magnify it.
1) One of my really close friends always has faith, I'm not quite sure how he/she does it but I haven't once seen him/her question his/her faith ever and is always super confident about it.
ReplyDelete2) I think one of the best ways to show hope on this trip is to always be optimistic. If you always talk about how much we could change someone's life or how much impact we are going to have or how hard we are going to work or how close we will be to God that's showing that we have a lot of faith in the trip and God.
1) I think someone in my life who has always had faith would be my sister. She has always believed and even though she works a lot she always seems to have time for God. She is a true inspiration.
ReplyDelete2) On the mission trip you can show your faith through your actions. If you volunteer to work or do something no one does thats showing faith. You dont have to limit yourself with just the mission trip you can do this everyday through your actions.
When I think of faith honestly the first people who came to my mind are Emma and Mattie, these girls are so rooted into their faith it gives me hope that I can be just as faithful and God fearing as they are. I think what mainly gave them faith is growing up in a family of people who have their lives centered around God rather than things of the world. Thee relationship that their parents share with God is how I saw them developing faith in their lives.
ReplyDeleteThe first way I hope to show my faith is by just living out the way God wants me to rather than doing things my own way leaning 100% on God for all of my needs. Next, I think it is so important to show faith by being helpful to those who have a harder time knowing God or that don't know God just by saying Hi and asking them their stories.
1. For as long as I have known her, Tina has always had the faith. She has always been an amazing example for me of love, caring, and patience. She loves all of the children in Promise Land, and she shows them by never raising her voice or showing frustration towards them. Her faith is evident in the way she speaks, and especially in the way she listens to others.
ReplyDelete2. I can show my hope during this mission trip by having my talk be filled with grace (and salt) and patience. Like we talked about in the meeting, it starts at home or we miss the point. I can help stop inappropriate or foul language around me and live more for God.
Maya