This next section of Hope has Wings was requested by my daughter several months ago; to share scriptures along with my photos and art.

                                                        drawing by: Jeri Burt


Exodus 15:20-21
And Mariam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand: and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.21 And Mariam answered them,  "sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea."

Mariam led the Israelites in their first worship service as free people.   

Day 20
Hope is Faith

Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen."

I saved Faith for last because faith brings all that I have written on about hope together into one neatly wrapped package.  With out faith we can not experience the peace, joy, and the blessings from God. Endurance is tougher; life is tougher; hope is lost with out faith. Faith moves us to do things for the Lord and to love and serve one another.  Faith can bring about miracles, or it can also keep our eyes on our Heavenly Father when things don't go as we had prayed for.   We understand that God sees the whole picture and even though we may not understand - we trust that God has us in the Palm of His hand and that all will be well.
Faith in our Savior Jesus Christ is the first principle of the Gospel.
I love this scripture from 2nd Nephi 31:19, "...I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come this far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him. Relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save." 
I love the Gospel, and I love our Savior Jesus Christ; I hold Him dear in the depths of my heart.  I am thankful for the journey.

 

                                                Drawing by:  Jeri Burt

Day 19
Hope is a Prayer

Romans 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing
instant in prayer.

"I always have very tender feelings about prayers and the
power and blessings of prayer."
President Spencer W. Kimball

I have a strong testimony in the power of prayer.  I too have tender feelings about prayer.  Prayer has blessed all of our lives revealing to us how amazing God is.
The miracles, healings, blessings, peace, joy, answers to questions,
and the list goes on, as we realize what a gift prayer is.  We contemplate in prayer, we listen for the Holy Spirit as we have very deep and meaningful conversations with Him. 
I talk to my Heavenly Father all day long;  I begin in the morning  as I look out my window and see the beauty of the colors in the Sunrise saying, "Good morning Papa God, thank you for the beautiful morning."   All through the day I have so much to say to Him as I face trials, or simply feel so grateful for the blessings he has for us each day.   Some days I pray before my feet hit the floor for I long to have my Father in Heaven with me every hour.  Prayer is a blessed source of hope.

                                                  Drawing by: Jeri Burt

 

                                           

Day 18

Hope is Teamwork

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

"Two are better than one because
they have a good return for their
labor.  For if either of them falls, the
one will lift up his companion.  But
woe to the one who falls when
their is not another to lift him up."

As I was watching my Granddaughter,
Melany play volley ball on a team her
mother, my daughter Nichole, was
coaching, I was reminded of how
important team work is in the quest
for winning - not just a game but in
building the Kingdom of God, and
caring for and loving one another as
God loves us.

I'm also reminded of the story of the
geese.  I was blessed one day, while
living out at the Needles District of
the Canyonlands, to witness for
myself how they work together.

There was a sudden swish in the bushes
revealing river geese who flew up into
the sky.  They made a V formation and
flew some distance when, suddenly,
we heard a loud caw sound as the bushes
rustled loudly. It was a straggler awkwardly
flapping its wings, flying into the air, trying
to catch up with the other geese.
I watched as the others turned back flying toward
this little straggler to get him.  After he took
his place with them, they all made a round
about circle, in formation, heading back again
toward the river.

Watching the volley ball team work together
setting up the ball so the other could hit it
over the net, and people routing for each
other, it gave me hope that as we all work
together in the love of Christ, we will, like
the geese, reach our destination together.

                                             Photo By: Jeri Burt