For a Bright Future, Light Your Pathway

Hope is comparable to a light that illuminates the pathway to the future, and seeing it come to fruition is like coming home to a reception filled with joyful celebration. Hope provides motivation for maintaining focus and staying on track, but critical for hope to materialize is avoiding distractions by confronting them.

As individuals progress into later adulthood, the object of hope may be retirement filled with relaxation, travel, and enjoyment of family and friends. Realistic hope is coupled with staying healthy in body and mind, eating properly, getting exercise, and taking medication as prescribed. Hope for a bright future involves preparation.

To avoid being distracted by the cares of the world, stay focused on God’s word for encouragement. Listen to Zephaniah 3:17. “The Lord your God is with you; his power gives you victory. The Lord will take delight in you and his love will give you new life.” Hope centered in Jesus Christ helps you stay focused.  

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Then Jesus again addressed them and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever continues to follow me need never walk in darkness, but will enjoy the light that means life.

~John 8:12 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

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Keep Your Values in Focus - Part 2

Country singer Johnny Cash documented that the best advice he obtained as a young entertainer was to keep focused consistently on the fact that his talents were God-given. He confessed that he sometimes lost sight of this admonition and abused these gifts. Losing sight of one's values is often a prelude to personal crises.

Proverbs 22:1 states, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth." What does a good name have to do with values? A good name identifies a person with high standards. My sister-in-law speaks of my brother Carl as “a good, kind-hearted man who can be trusted because he is honest and truthful.” Carl has a good name.

Listen to these wise words of wisdom. "Morals without faith and trust in Christ Jesus will wither and die, like seed sown upon stony ground or among the briars and thorns." Maintaining a strong faith requires constant focus on Christ Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Jesus gives special gifts to those who, when using the gifts appropriately, bring honor and glory to God.