Two Short Poems Of Hope

Hope Is A Warm Blanket

Hope is a warm blanket
In the winter night.
Heavy winds might shake it
But you'll hold it tight.

If they ever took it,
You would feel so cold.
Hope is a warm blanket
Left for you to hold.

Once There Were Two Peddlars

Once there were two peddlars
Walking up and down
Shouting their business
In a busy town. 

One was selling rope and soap
The other was selling hope. 

"Go away, you steal my clients!
They should send you to the lions!"

"They have and they will, 
But I'll be here still."

"To be honest, I can't see
Why they turn to you, not me."

"Cause you sell death for a fee, 
I give life and hope for free!"

Written by Eliza

Life-Changing Books:

"The Shack" by William P. Young

How can a man forgive his father who has abused him as a child? How can a father forgive the serial killer who murdered his 6-year-old little daughter? What revelation can turn the bitterness of a broken heart into joy and peace with the world, God and the self? What amazing experience can heal such painful wounds and replace the horror by faith and love? It must have been something great, something deep, with a huge impact, something coming from far beyond the boundaries of this world. You can find the answer in William P. Young's novel "The Shack", a book that combines a skillfully woven plot with such depth and wisdom that it can't but make its way to the most intimate part of the reader's soul. 

Unconventional and fascinating, captivating and profound, straightforward but subtle and delicate, this novel has all the attributes of a life-changing book. It deals with an old controversial topic and attempts to provide answers to the most burning questions of humanity. But it does it in such an original and charming way that, whether you are a convinced Christian or not, you feel you are taken one step forward on your spiritual journey. 

"The Shack" attempts to reveal the secret face of the true living God and the Holy Trinity. God is not what people have made of Him in their attempt to control their own destiny and protect their vulnerabilities. His image is built gradually around His own words "I am Who I am". Suddenly God appears to us surprising, fresh and new. Ideas we've been used to, things we've been taught to believe for such a long time lose their grip, and other things we've never thought of come into the equation to bring new light to the matter. 

Is God a male or a female? Is God really the stern master portrayed in the Old Testament? Does God have the sense of humour? Does God intervene in human existence? What is the truth about heaven and hell? Why does God allow evil? Can the Holy Spirit alter the dimensions of time and space? These are just a few of the questions that are dealt with in this novel. 

"The Shack" is much more than a best seller or an enjoyable read. It is a living book, one of those inspirational writings you remember and treasure for a long time. There is nothing rigid in it, nothing ostentatious or preaching-like. It teaches without sounding like a sermon. Nothing near. It is a book that opens hearts and minds by challenging the very prejudices that stand in the way of our relationship with God and with one another. 

Links: 

The Shack Book Website

Author's Blog

Faith in God

Is faith in God the rock we are basing our lives on? Is faith in God the pillar that makes our house stand tall when hit by the heavy storms of life? In more simple words, is our faith in God strong enough to suffice? Before answering the question, let's define the terms. What is faith? What does it involve? Here are seven statements we can use in relation to our faith in the Lord. 

1. Faith is believing in the things unseen and unconceived by the human heart. If everything you rely on is here and now, how can your heart find the realm where everything melts in the universal love of the Creator? If your faith is in what your eyes can see and in what your mind and heart tell you it's right, how can you go beyond reason, instincts and sensations to find the hidden beauty behind the curtain, the secret song that makes the angels cry?

2. Faith in God is letting go. Letting go of the worries, letting go of the problems, letting go of our vain ambitions and our empty little world. Life is what it is, we say. But more than that, life is what we make of it. If you look at the sky, the sky is reflected in your eyes. Your eyes become as pure as the sky. You don't need to look at all the dirt this world sells you. You are stronger in letting go. 

3. Faith is going beyond your limits. They say that you can find out who you really are only when you find your limits. Walking with God is about crossing the borders and barriers of this world, pushing limits, daring to hope you can achieve more, moving mountains. Faith is believing you can do more than your powers allow you, because there's a greater Power guiding you and achieving wonderful things through you. 

4. Faith in God is surrendering everything. We've already mentioned letting go, but surrendering is slightly different. When you let go, you accept that some things are not as important as people want you to think and you give up on them. When you surrender, you take everything, including the really important things, and place them in God's almighty hand. Surrendering involves offering both the happy and sad aspects of your life to God. That includes the people you love, the moments you cherish, the memories of yesterday and the dreams of tomorrow. 

5. Faith in God is our link with eternity and our victory over here and now. Faith leads to revelations and through revelations we can catch glimpses of the light and glory of the realm our heart longs for. Faith is self-fueling, cumulative and ever-growing. First we believe in what we can't see, then we learn to see what we believe in and we believe even more. 

6. Sometimes faith in God can be clouded by doubts and fears. That doesn't mean it is gone. Jesus himself had moments when he felt betrayed and abandoned. Our victory is in knowing that the clouds will go away and the storm won't last forever. The sensations of a moment can be strong and overwhelming but they are not stronger than the One who looks after us and whose love will never fail us. 

7. Faith is only one of the three Christian virtues mentioned in the Bible. The other two are hope and love. Faith and hope are as close as twin sisters and they work to help and support each other. Faith and hope are the gifts we have here, on Earth, to make our journey easier. Love is a little more and that makes it the most precious gift of all. When this earth is gone and our life on it over, there will be no need for faith and hope, because we will see what we believed in and come to the haven of all our hopes. But love will survive, as God is Love and He was there before any beginnings. 

Happy New Year!!