Take Heart!

I spoke about it for the first time since last August.

This weekend I got the privilege to talk to over 100 kids about Hope at church this weekend. We are learning the sometimes bad things happen and crush our spirits. But in every bad situation there is something good that comes out of it. We just may have to look a little past the bad.

But as my lesson went on this weekend I realized that I had a story to tell them. A story that I hadn't really ever spoke about in a live setting. But it fit the lesson I was teaching them.

My grandmother (Dad's Mom) was doing just fine about this time last year. My grandfather however was fighting pneumonia that almost took his life. But I have always side that my grandfather is a stubborn man. After a few months he did recover and get better. But shortly after that my grandma's had a severe stroke and was hospitalized. She recovered a little bit from that and was released from the hospital. But a few weeks or so went by and she became ill again. (We believe it might have been another mild stroke.) She never recovered really from that one. She passed away in August of last year.

She had been apart of my life for 26 years and she suddenly wasn't anymore. It was a crushing blow.

But I do know one thing and that is that she is in a better place. A place where she doesn't fall or stumble or have any of the earthly bothers she had here. She is perfectly well.

Grandpa Grandma and Jared at my wedding

That makes me have hope and joy that really no matter what happens something good can come out of something bad.

John 16:33b (NLT)

"...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

(A video of the lesson will come later.)