Happy Hopeful New Year

More than any other year I am looking forward to a new year, one filled with hope. I still wear that little silver ring someone gave me at Laurie's wake that reads "HOPE" all the way around it. I see it every day, it is on my right hand. I have hope.

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

and "I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity; to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29:11

and "We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." Romans 5:2-5

Each of these verses I have known and read for years and each popped up in the last two days in the current books I am reading. My assurance? Could it be black Jeep after black Jeep I saw today while driving into work, to the point that I almost did not want to peek at the car coming up next to me? A black Jeep, of course. No, these are only reminders to me of a God that does not let me go. My assurance: too simple. It is faith.