I’m not afraid for my daughter’s future.

I have hope. And it’s not in one single thing going on in the world. And it’s not made easier by one single thing prevented or allowed in the world. I have hope for my daughter and what she’s going to see in her life. Because my hope is in Jesus! Jesus is SO faithful. He’s not faithful to give me luxury. He’s not faithful to give me materials. He IS faithful to sustain. He IS faithful to encourage. He is faithful to give endurance. He is faithful to give peace! 

My daughter is going to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!! She’s gonna see the Kingdom of God grow, because that is what God does! He advances His kingdom and it certainly doesn’t take a nation that isn’t even 300 years old yet to ensure the gospel will survive. I’m literally laughing at that! My daughter is going to see that pride goes before a fall, and I have hope that she’s gonna learn it from trusting scripture and observing it in others lives so she doesn’t have to experience in her own. Jesus is faithful to give AND take away. He has been pouring out blessing in my life, and yes a lot of it has been material, but a lot has been taken away this year, too. And it just keeps reminding me: my theology CANNOT include anything that can’t also apply to the persecuted church. The men and women living in oppression and facing death for following Jesus around the world right now know what is truly nonnegotiable and what is nonsense to even give a second thought to. I’m trying my hardest to think with the big picture of the gospel in mind. I will not let the affluence of my culture distract me from the realities set before me in heaven.

 Christians, please!! Look into the eyes of Jesus and drop anything that is slowing you down from pursuing Him! I repent, continually since it’s a daily struggle, and step back from finding my solace in materials. They will PASS AWAY. My treasures are in heaven. My comfort is the presence of Jesus. I’ll enjoy what I have while it’s here and when it’s gone I’ll still bless the Lord. His death and resurrection has earned my loyalty for life to Him and to loving His bride as best I can. 

And this goes hand in hand: I’m not afraid of Esther’s future. To take from her biblical namesake: she was born for such a time as this! She is going to bring the light and love of Jesus! She’s already a joy-filled kingdom builder. She’s exactly what this world needs and what a privilege it is to raise her. She is kind and wise and smart and compassionate and my prayer is that her footing will be so firm in love of the Word of God, and the understanding of how Jesus loves her despite her every flaw that, she won’t be shaken by anything to come. Let’s be and raise and encourage the kinds of people a fallen, falling apart world needs. We know the end of the story! Every disappointment and every terror now points to our desperate need for the King to return, and our essential call to be His hands and feet now in the meantime. Christians! We’ve got work to do, we’ve got prayer to invest in, we’ve got worship to offer, we have the ONLY true, lasting source of hope to give. LET’S DO IT.