Greetings Foothills family!

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, “Eighteen to nothing– we’re behind.” “Boy,” said the spectator, “I’ll bet you’re discouraged.” “Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!”

Years ago, Eugene Lang, a self-made millionaire, was asked to visit and speak to a 6th grade class at a school in East Harlem, NY.  Mr. Lang wasn’t sure what he was going to say to inspire this group of students, many of whom were expected to drop out of school. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I'll help pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school. 

These stories remind me of a quote from Clare Boothe Luce. “There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.”

Hope is the key to enduring the challenges and crises life throws our way. As a follower of Jesus, you are gifted with a double portion of hope.

Titus 2:13 says, “...we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Jesus is our hope that the trials of this life have an expiration date.  He promises that at his return, “...death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

But our hope is not only fulfilled in the future. We are blessed with a present hope as well. Through trying times, Scripture promises that we can be strengthened and equipped to thrive through the crises before us. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Church family, God is for you, God is with you, and God loves you. May your heart never lose sight of the hope you have in the love of Jesus. And may you continually share that hope with a world that is in desperate need.

Blessings!

Pastor Chris