You're Closer Than You Think!

"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer," wrote Albert Camus. We have been blanketed in snow and the weather outside is frigid, yet inside our home it is warm and the fireplace is blazing. Inside my heart is summer even though outside the temperature is zero. How is this possible?

Well, today I went to Walmart and bought Joel Osteen's new book IT'S YOUR TIME. I just read the first chapter, "You're Closer Than You Think!" It reminded me of how easy it is to be challenged by something that we feel is bigger than us. Joel writes about hiking in the Colorado mountains on a trail that was so steep that he felt like giving up when he met a man descending the trail who told him, "You're closer than you think." That mountain may have been big, but that man gave Joel the encouragement to keep moving on, and sure enough he reached the summit about fifteen minutes later.

How many times in my life have I wanted to give up when just a little bit later things turned around for me? I can't count the number of times that has happened to me. Does it ever happen to you?

What we really need in times like these is hope. I remember as a teenager when a boyfriend was caught in a blizzard. I prayed so hard for that person. The parents had been calling our house because I was with him earlier. He had brought me home safely, but then on the way to his home, he was caught in a storm.

I read the bible and came across Psalms 30:5 which says weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. I took hope from that. Sure enough, in the morning we called our neighbors to look for my boyfriend, and they found him. He was very cold but alive. I remembered the psalm and rejoiced.


I came across that same verse when I was reading Joel's new book today, and I remembered how dear that verse was to me. He also quoted Zechariah 9:12, which says we should be prisoners of hope. What an interesting concept! A prisoner of hope. Yes, I would like to be a prisoner of hope and always realize that God is arranging things for my good.

I want to keep my attitude hopeful and realize that I am closer to victory than I think. Not too long ago an incident happened at work that I did not think was fair, but God was in complete control. It isn't resolved yet, but guess what? I am a prisoner of hope instead of worry so I have faith that the outcome will be perfect. Just because it is night doesn't mean that the sun will not rise in the morning. Just because it is winter doesn't mean that summer will not return.

As a prisoner of hope, tomorrow I will rise expecting God to give me another amazing day because that's the kind of God He is. How about you? Will you believe that tomorrow will be better than today? Will you claim the victory? You are closer than you think!

Light and love,
Patty