Remembering the Bounce in My Step

Having Hope in What We Call to Mind

Previously, I wrote about having hope in what we call to mind. I said there were three main areas that brought me hope:

• God’s steadfast love
• Who God is
• What God has done.

In my last two posts, I wrote briefly on God’s steadfast love, who God is. Today I want to step away from my list and write about calling to mind being hopeful.

Calling to Mind Being Hopeful

Lately, I’ve been struggling with both grief and chronic physical pain. In January, my cousin died of pancreatic cancer. In February, after only being diagnosed right before Christmas, my dear sister died of gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. And in March, my aunt died unexpectedly of an abdominal aneurysm. Along with my grief, the pain from arthritis in my back, knees, and hands has been much worse than usual making mobility difficult. On top of this, I have major depressive disorder in partial remission. It’s easy to “sink” when I stressors such as these affecting me.

As I read over a poem I wrote almost a year ago, I remembered being joyful during a time that was difficult. My circumstances didn’t make me joyful. God did. Just as I have joy because of my God who never changes, I have hope because of him.

Holding Onto God During Hard Times

God wants us to trust in him always, good times and bad.

Before the Israelites were to cross over to the promised land with Joshua as their new leader and leaving Moses behind, Moses told them the following:

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

When I’m struggling with pain, physical or emotion, some of the truths God wants me to remember are as follows:

• God goes before me.
• God is always with me.
• God will not leave me or forsake me.
• God wants me to trust him.
• God doesn’t want me to fear of be dismayed.
• God loves me with a steadfast, faithful love.
• God wants me to believe him.
• God wants me to hope in him.
• God provides all I need.
• God give me rest and peace.
• God has promised me eternal life and in this I place my hope.

The Poem that Reminded Me of The Hope I Have

This is not the best poem I ever wrote, in fact it still feels like a draft. But it’s a good poem as it reminded me and brought me back to a place of having hope. It’s called, “The Bounce in Her Step”.

The Bounce in Her Step  Written 5/16/2022. Revised 4/3/23
(Matthew 2:10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”)

Chronic pain tried to steal 
The joy and the love in her heart 
Let not her cane deceive you 
There’s joy in the bounce in her step.
Yes, there’s joy in the bounce in her step.

With every breath, with every step 
With the words she speaks
The aroma of God swirls around her 
Peace and joy she will keep 
Oh, peace and joy she will keep.

Even on the hardest days
She holds on to joy, hope, and peace.
She believes the promises of God are true
His steadfast love will never cease.
Yes, his steadfast love will never cease.

Of knowing God, and being known 
In love she sings his praise
Extolling and adoring him 
For he sets her heart ablaze.
Oh, he sets her heart ablaze.
 
She writes her poems and even songs  
To her loving God 
Rejoicing exceedingly with great joy. 
She delights in loving her God.
Yes, delights in loving her God.

Look carefully, beyond her pain 
Beyond her difficult past 
God used those things in miraculous ways 
The pain is not what will last.
No, the pain will not last.
 
A child of God now loved, belonging 
A God gentle and kind, yet strong 
Is her rock, her shield, and her strength 
And now he is her song.
Yes, now, forever, he is her song.
 
Jesus suffered and died for her 
Carried the weight of her sins 
Led her to repentance 
She has new life in him. 
Yes, she has new life in him.
 
She doesn’t understand,  
Yet knows in a special way 
Christ enters with her in her sufferings  
And she shares in his some way. 
Yes, she shares in his some way
 
Pain no longer drags her down 
At least not so very far 
She has her God, he rescues her 
He holds her and restores. 
Oh, he holds her and restores. 

In her God she will delight 
With every step and breath 
Let not the cane deceive you 
Look for the bounce in her step. 
Yes, look for the bounce in her step.

A Prayer

Dear Father God,

Father, thank you for the great privilege of prayer and for your presence here with us in a special way when we pray.

Help us to trust and believe in you always. Please help to remain joyful during the difficult times. And please Father, help us to think of those things that bring to mind the sure and certain hope that we have in you.

Father God, thank you for your great and steadfast love for each of us. And thank you for your faithfulness and that all your promises are true.

We love you, Father God, with all our hearts, and souls, and strength, and minds.

It’s in Jesus’s name we pray.

Your gracious daughter,

JK

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