Hope - The Nectar of Life

By Steve Wickham

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
-Proverbs 13:12 (NIV).

Hopelessness is portrayed cuttingly and faithfully in the image of the The Wall (1979)--a cult classic for all Eighty-ites. It's the story of Pink, the rock star, who lost his father in World War II and struggled for identity during his 1950s childhood, eventually growing to befriend isolation, loneliness, a thousand deferent voices and depression; cut to the heart in dire hopelessness. His father-figures were fantastically inept.

Those marching hammers are a vision cast over the memory of all Baby Boomers and Gen-X's, presumably. We grew to love the images shed and the negative though realistic commentary of life, as it was then, today.

Hopelessness. No light, only darkness. The strange thing is we actually like dark music, dark art. It speaks truth to us. There is a real sense of hopelessness we can all see in life, yet it's our very nature to seek to overcome it. But, it doesn't stop us showing up and sitting there in sorrowful nostalgia, even for a moment's respite.

Hope is the nectar of life. It nourishes and lubricates. It sees to our plans and puts proper perspective over our doubts. It's filled, of course, by faith--good or bad. We hope, good.

Hope is not hope at all if we see it, yet the very nature of hope takes us necessarily to aconclusion--the realised hope--for no realisation of hope means for us, eventually, a 'sick heart.' Children are noted most especially in this, for a chronic lack of realised hope strikes a wilfully mean blow in the heart of a child. You can see a sarcastic kid has lost his or her sense of real hope in good. And it may never return, if not for a miraculous, God-shaped intervention.

And children grow into independent adults. The trouble is a grown kid, a purveyor of learned helplessness, is an utterly destructive influence on themselves and others--their adult "freedom" sees to it. Their rampant denial, cool crutches and steady grip on insanity sees to it that the curses they're betwixt with are propagated on their very generation--to any innocent, vulnerable one around them.

Of course, this is stereotypical.

There's something that just has to be said. The world trades in a fake hope, evidently, and hopelessness is covered over for the 'wide way' of Western life. All manner of drug or drink or substance or vice-shaped activity is used by the millions to "install" imitation hope. And it's a very poor, deathly imitation of the real thing.

The cause for hope in this generation is only as urgent as it's always been. It's urgent!

A longing fulfilled is a tree of life, and as a tree we imagine life profuse with--what can we say--life. Each branch, each leaf, each relationship, each situation... teeming with life and positive energy.

Hope is the one thing behind all this life. We sow hope everywhere we can, simply. The need's urgent!

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.

Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, MSIA, RSP) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: http://tribework.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/

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What the Chinese Symbol Hope Tattoo Design Means

By John J. Phillips

Nowadays people use the word hope a lot. "I hope this happens, I hope that works well, etc." Hope can be said in all sorts of ways and has a few meanings. The Chinese Symbol Hope has three meanings in Chinese hope to Buddha or god, willing to, cautious and honesty. Of course the symbol itself is frankly a little difficult for the inexperienced to write. As the Chinese Symbol Hope needs a few strokes of the pen. Although there is a modern version of the symbol there is also a traditional version as well.

With a stroke of the pen or brush one can create art. Some might think of Chinese Symbols as art while others do not and that is completely okay. Art can take many forms. With symbols it is visual or literary arts. One can make astounding symbols and on another page they could draw something like a home with the front door having some sort of banner saying "hope' in the Chinese symbols. Paintings inside or writing your name in Chinese symbols and keeping it in your room or somewhere around the house. One can do a lot of things with such art.

Normally one would use the symbols along with others to make the statement understandable. Chinese symbols are used in groups so they can form a meaning other than a single character itself. Together they can empower the main word or amplify what it is directing to. Of course if you are not able to understand what the symbols mean then you should probably study them to get a clear picture of what it stands for. A slight mistake in the character writing can have the reader utterly confused on what its context is. And the reader could make a mistake by confusing a symbol for another.

Hope can mean a lot of things for someone. After all there are different meanings for most words out there. Their wishes, hope, and their expectations are part of hope. These days we hope that the economy gets better. Maybe we hope that we get the job that we wanted or hope you ace that test of yours. Mostly everyone has something they wish for. And when they wish for something they hope it would happen. As it is with others, branding themselves with the Chinese symbol for hope is a way to keep that hope alive.

A tattoo is all about individualism. Take that away and you just have ink. That's why you want a tattoo design that looks amazing now and in the future.

Check out my site now for some great free tips, information, designs and product reviews

John Phillips

http://ReviewTattoos.com/

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Hope - A Ray of Light

By Ethan Hill

When everything seems to end and the picture is very dark, when life seems to have lost its meaning and there is nothing more to do, when we are besieged by forces superior to ours, there is hope as the final appeal for a new direction, lift yourself up and go straight ahead and renew efforts to fulfill the mission assigned for life.

Hope is a trigger. It triggers in us a desire to fight, a special mood to deal with each of the daily activities which are even more difficult. It allows us to acquire a strong desire to move forward when we leave our forces and the will to abandon our dreams even when the road is a hill almost impossible to overcome.

Hope is a very exciting life than the lot and it revives hope of others too and hope is to get a spark going in to work and send the force behind an ideal. In practical work one move and act because we hope to reach somewhere, to achieve a goal of reaching a particular goal or realizing a dream.

Hope helps us to endure certain moments in life that threatens to challenge the body and the shattered morale. It also provides comfort as a balm on the wound and helps us to pass these moments of anguish in which everything seems to end what we can not resist.

According to the dictionary, hope is a mood in which we are possibly presented what we want.

It brings hope to have a hope in the present and a firm expectation in the future and has a close relationship with faith. Hope is a desire and the firm belief that this will become a reality. When we have faith than hope takes hold of our belief that our desire has already been granted. Believing is the basis of hope and conviction and certainty is the basis of faith.

Faith has the benefit that leads us to regard it as a living god, to his word as true without any doubt. Hope gives us room for a fight with our own strengths and talents in pursuit of what God has promised us and rejoice because crop sowing itself and its creator, renews our hope and refreshes the daily journey we will see ourselves face with new and unfamiliar events.

Hope inspires us further into a life of purity and perseverance and it is needed to restore balance after every trip or to get up after every fall.

Hope heals the soul of a person who is certain to be disappointed and a faithful friend who never leaves us nor disappoints us. We must get it, create it, adhere to it and defend it from those who have been lost by trying to discredit it.

Hope is the bridge by which God tends to us when the wind blows against the obstacles preventing us to see his glory. This is the final appeal that the Creator placed at our disposal when it seemed that we did not have any resources at our disposal.

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The Fallacy in Hope

By Preetu Misra

It is generally believed that hope is a good thing. It drives people on, it's the ray of light when things are dark and so on and so forth. I do not pretend to agree with the thought as it is too convenient and also tends to build an aura of lethargy that is very difficult to overcome. Hope is not a good thing if you are absolutely sure that you have exhausted all your means for achieving whatever it is that you want to achieve. Perhaps the idea has its uses when one has reached rock bottom and there is absolutely nothing left to lose. This is the situation when things can only get better. Even then, you see, it is more a matter of inevitability, than of hope.

Often after great achievements, people will tell you stories of difficulties overcome with grit on the strength of hope. I agree as far as grit is concerned but I would like to know whether these people were sitting idle in the face of difficulties or not. There must have been enormous efforts that actually helped ride past the crisis to reach the goal. If you argue that sometimes, even efforts are not enough and in the face of continuous failure you need something else, then it is my opinion that the only thing you need is time. A great amount of hope without the support of practical means will simply lead to the dilution of effort that is necessary. Put in very straightforward terms, 'hope' is the name that people unwittingly give to their immense believe in 'luck', and the idea that theirs might turn.

Ironically, there is some truth in the idiom 'hoping against hope'. Defined as 'To hope with little reason or justification' it actually explains my basic tenet in this discussion. Even hope is actually without logic. When you know that you have taken your exam badly, you hope that you are going to pass, that you might even do well. What you are actually wishing for is some error in evaluation without thinking that it might adversely affect the result of a deserving candidate. When you know that a patient is suffering from a condition that is fatal, you hope that there might be a miracle. True, medical miracles happen, but that is not because you have hoped for it. It is because medical professionals are extremely competent and can at times work out marvels in curative treatment. So instead of hoping, you should make sure that you get in touch with the right people at the right time.

I have a strong feeling that hope is something that does not let people come to terms with real facts of life. It is an impediment in the road to moving on. So and so will understand, such and such will regret, he or she will appreciate. Well, in all probabilities they will not. Human beings do not change so easily. So it is much better to accept that there is no hope where there is no reason and let things be. If you want people to understand, you have to prove your point. That necessitates taking an effort, not just basking in the futility of hope.

Preetu is a contributed writer for Batchmates.com the largest Alumni portal in India. With her research work and articles she has added an additional edge to the entertainment e-magazine BM Times. Her articles reach to millions of readers every day which are varied in subjects.

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Counseling Resources to Restore Hope and Combat the Culture of Fear

By Gretchen Netterfield

In these difficult times, counselors and helping professionals are looking for something extra to put in the therapy toolbox because our media, our politicians and our next-door neighbors are singing the same tune, expect the worst...Companies are going to fall, more people are going to lose their jobs and their homes. The unrelenting scenes of war and violence and pandemic warnings weigh heavily on our hearts and our minds. We live in an information and media driven society where there are few avenues to escape the culture of fear and imminent doom.

The challenge for both the client and the counselor is to embrace optimism and restore hope as an achievable paradigm within the counseling process. To acknowledge that hope is a choice even in the worst of times and to reinforce that courage is holding onto hope despite your fears. Challenging clients to hope is a way to reinforce goals and aspirations and anchor the counseling process within a positive framework. Having hope provides protection against being stuck in the past or trapped in the vicious cycle of negative and pessimistic thinking. Hope is also a valuable tool in the management of depression, anxiety, powerlessness and hopelessness. Restoring hope will greatly increase the likelihood of developing and maintaining healthy avenues to cope and reduce distress.

The difficulty is making hope real and translating a concept into a tangible coping mechanism. The first step is finding a tangible representation of the challenge and an expression of a person's intention and motivation to move forward. This can be done by encouraging your client to nominate an object or item that symbolizes the challenge of holding onto hope. It can be a piece of jewelery, a rock, a shell or a coin, a piece of string, anything that can be easily carried around.

Thus using a real world prompt to remind clients to stay strong and true to their aspirations especially during times of stress when it is most likely that old destructive or negatives habits will become very enticing. Constant reminders are required to assist clients to make changes of any kind, from trying to stop nail biting to managing depressive thoughts. The object or item therefore forms part of the action plan and allows clients to take a reminder of the session details into their daily lives.

The nominated item becomes a symbol of courage to make changes and therefore letting go of fear and not letting a person's past dictate the way they live in the present or future. This approach helps the counselor encourage and support a client's progression towards their goals and helps clients to engage in the action phase of change. Real world prompts are also useful as a focal point during panic or anxiety attacks. Breathing and relaxation exercises taught and practiced in the counseling session can act as a reminder to clients of their ability to self soothe and manage symptoms.

Optimism is not blind, naive or even completely curative but that is not a good enough reason to accept negativity as the only option. Hope is a coping mechanism that allows us to acknowledge that even though life might be difficult you can still choose to hope that things for yourself, your family, and your community will get better. The crossroads and the rollercoaster's that make up the human experience are more easily traversed and endured with the help of hope.
Hope is the accessory that goes with everything. It is a way to combat the culture of fear and negativity head on.

'Hope is the physician of each misery.' Irish proverb

Gretchen Netterfield

If you would like more information and counseling resources please visit http://www.hopechoice.com to find out how to take the Hope Challenge download the engaging and practical Ebooks. The range of Hope Challenge Ebooks have been created from over twenty years of combined counseling experience and research to provide you with the most effective tools for change and over coming negative thinking.

The Hope Challenge Ebook will show you how to:
•Combat fear
•Make hope real
•Transform negative thinking

At http://www.hopechoice.com you will also find a specially designed symbol of hope that has been developed to remind us all that hope is possible. The hope wristband or Hooplet represents hope, choice and transformation.

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Quotes About Hope

By Kristy Snow

Quotes about Hope

If you need some hope, look for the good in others, in yourself, and in your Maker. At various times throughout life, there are setbacks and tragedies. These bad things are part of being human. The hope is what keeps us going and helps us to find happiness and joy in the suffering.

Instead of running from pain and suffering, we should embrace it. Why? It allows the soul to mourn and finally to heal properly. The whole process is somewhat complicated and different for everyone. However, there are things that can help.

Prayer

Prayer can bring hope to those filled with despair. The very act of prayer helps you to go outside of yourself and focus on the positive. If you are in deep despair, you can at least pray for hope and it will come. Prayer has a keen way of focusing the mind and helping us to stop focusing on self. This act, alone, helps humans to break out of the ego or pain like state.

Doing Things

If you want more hope, it is important to keep doing things. Even the little things like keeping your car clean or going on a bike ride will infuse a lighter spirit. That's why it is good to do little things for others that need hope. Having the little things done, in life, makes everything a little easier to do.

Quotes of Hope

It's good to have information about how to be hopeful. Quotes are often a good source of inspiration. For example, humor enlightens the mind, lifts the spirit, and comes at will. It's the sure fire way to live life. And, hope is something you get from God and yourself. It can't be handed to you.

Positive Stories

It is also a good idea to tell yourself hopeful stories. Did you ever work for something important and get it? Do you feel a certain joy when helping others or when doing good? Telling yourself some positive things can also help you find hope.

Where there is light there is also truth and with truth comes hope because truth tells a wonderful story.

For further information, please visit Quotes About Hope

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Achieving Thank-Filled Hope - Christian Perspective

By Steve Wickham

"We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" -1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (TNIV).

We read here Paul's thankfulness for the believers at the capital of the province of Macedonia, for he and the faithful there had experienced much vigilant opposition (Acts 17:11; 1 Thess. 1:6). At Thessalonica there had been rioting and revolt. This had all been brought about by Satan's virulent presence there at the time--through some jealous Jews who'd 'rounded up some bad characters'--and this even prevented Paul's planned return (Acts 17:5-9; 1 Thess. 2:18).

Paul is ironically humble and thankful regarding these trials, however. Though he is 'orphaned'[1] and effectively separated from the Thessalonians 'for a (short) time--even an hour,'[2] he reflects thankfully on their mutual faithfulness in the Holy Spirit.

And this seed-bed environment of 'severe suffering,' together with the welcoming of the Holy Spirit with joy manifest through faith, love and hope, produces a thank-filled hope beyond the clutches of the world. And Paul is further glad of this, because the faithful in Thessalonica were models to people all through Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thess. 1:7-8), and even to us, today, in how to approach the genuine Christian life, through a working faith, love and hope.

In fact, this is a biblical principle. "The history of the churches in Macedonia teaches us that suffering is the matrix out of which strong and healthy churches [and Christians] can emerge."[3] Indeed, anyone--and this is the truth and wisdom of universal law--can draw strength and health and hope from, and upon, the endurance of suffering.

Faith

Paul lauds the 'grace by faith' tradition in all his letters, particularly Galatians and Romans, but here he places it in context with works, agreeing with James.[4] Faith does produce works. Good work does bear fruit.

Love

Love is the goad behind all true good works, by virtue of its mystically motivating and innately self-propelling action. Love cannot hope to hold back. It sees a need and enters the fray, urgently, willingly, but never forcefully. We always work best, and in joyous candour, when love stokes our furnace.

Hope

Isn't it supposed to be, 'faith, hope, love,' and in that order? Not in this instance. The underpinning premise is hope. "True faith's work is never wasted, real love's labour is never lost, hope's resilience is never disappointed."[5]

And hope leads us to thankfulness...

Thank-filled Hope

Hope precedes thankfulness, for we cannot be thankful without being hopeful. Hopefulness propels us to where thankfulness is bound i.e. from reflection. And also hope succeeds thankfulness; one informs the other. Hope leads to thankfulness which further leads to hope and so on.

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved.

ENDNOTES:
[1] 1 Thess. 2:17. Wesley J Perschbacher (ed), The New Analytical Greek Lexicon (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990), p. 47. The Greek word (Strong's #642) aporphaniso means 'to deprive, bereave.'
[2] This is the literal Greek rendering, though it is unlikely it means a literal 'hour' as we determine it in our culture.
[3] Ajith Fernando, The NIV Application Commentary: Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1998), p. 468.
[4] See also Acts 26:20 where Paul said before King Agrippa, "... I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds." (TNIV) (Italics added.)
[5] Philip Greenslade, 1 & 2 Thessalonians: The Coming that Completes the Story (Farnham, Surrey: Crusade for World Revival, 2004), p. 29.

Steve Wickham is a registered safety practitioner (BSc, MSIA, RSP) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). He also has training and leadership Diplomas. His passion in vocation is facilitation and coaching; encouraging people to soar to a higher value of their potential. Steve's key passion is work / life balance and re-creating value for living, and an exploration of the person within us.

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HOPE - Do You Know the Secret Code in HOPE?

By Gurutej Khalsa

H.O.P.E. Want to find out what secret is encoded in this?

Hope is one of my favorite words and it is at a premium right now. Many people have lost their hope and can't seem to find it. They want someone else or something to give them hope. Good I want to share mine with you. I do want to tell you one thing. You may not like what I'm going to say but hope is contagious. If you want to be hopeful you have to fill yourself up with hope and you have to keep the company of the hopeful.

How do you fill up with hope when it seems like we can recite all the reasons not to be hopeful. There appear many reasons to doubt hope at this moment. Yet.... when we get hopeless we loose our E. our energy goes down the tube and we have a name for this. Depression. The D word is not a part of hope and it renders us very lethargic.

What is hopeful about these times? Everything is being transformed. That is both scary and exciting. You don't have to choose one or the other it often fluctuates back and forth between the two. The old is caving in on itself and we have a chance to rebuild in a new more graciously inclusive way of living. Call it sustainable, call it green, call it pink I don't care but know it is more connected.

The connection you have to bring to the party called life is invaluable because without it the linking is weaker. You have a key to all this and it can only be discovered by you. Use all the help you want and need to uncover it. Truth be told you are the holder of it and only you can bring it forth. Others can help awaken it and structure it with and for you but you and you alone are your brand. This does not mean you have to do this alone. Quite the contrary this is not the time for alone. It is the time for alone.

1.     You have to know what you have to offer. The knowingness comes from being, meditating allowing the vision.
2.     You have to be able to look around and see who can support you in bringing this forward. Might be different people at different stages.
3.     Look at what parts and people you need to make this happen or look at what is happening and see how you can bring your gifts to something already in existence.
4.     This is not a static process. 1,2,3, done.

This is great to get you to a calm place of knowingness

Sitali Breath

Breathe out that stress...

Roll the tongue and stick it past your lips. If you cannot roll it, just make an "O" shape with your mouth with the tongue protruding slightly beyond the lips. Breathe in deeply through the mouth. Exhale slowly through the nose emptying the lungs all the way.

1-2 minutes

 
Gift

The best anti-stress breath available. The breath passing over the wet tongue creates a cooling effect.

To get some knowingness going it requires vision, to get vision you need stillness, to have stillness you must loose the anxiety, to loose the anxiety you must have yoga (that which connects and unites you), to allow yoga you must have enough self-worth intact, to have self-worth you need support, to ask for support requires knowing that you need it. So knowing

and asking remains at the core of this process. What do you know? What do you know is unknown to you? What help do you want? What do you have to offer?

This is just a brief outline of the success of HOPE. Are you ready to embrace hope? To be the epic-center of HOPE? If yes then connect with mewww.gurutej.com sign in at my optin box get a little gift, connect, and tell me how I can help you with HOPE.

Blessings

Gurutej
follow me http://www.theenergyguru.blogspot.com/
"Diamonds or Dust the choice is yours
both are created by pressure".
What do you do with yours?
310-734-6776

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How Hope Now Can Help You Avoid Foreclosure and Keep Your Home

By Rick Benson

With the economy in the U.S. the way that it is, over 400,000 home owners will be able to avoid foreclosure while being in the Hope Now program. In the Hope Now program, it prevents foreclosure for at least the next three years, and it might also be capable of helping you by simply doing your loan over and turning it into a fresh 30 year or 40 year fixed rate loan which means smaller payments for you.

It is not a complicated process to understand and it is easy for a distressed home owner to take part in Hope Now program. To begin the home owner must get in contact with the current lender and talk about if and how they would possibly qualify and if they are suitable for the Hope Now program.

Next repair working with bothered homeowners possibly will determine that the best elucidation for avoiding foreclosure could be to refinance with the home owner and put them into a Hope Now loan. Also if a troubled home owner is operating with a counselor and the home owners lender have either agreed or reached a shared understanding that Hope Now is necessary then and only will they proceed with a decision to prevent foreclosure.

When creating this program it was envisioned so that in a way main home owners would initially take part in the Hope Now program and through the working with lenders with their current mortgage.

Joining the Hope Now program is a cost benefit. When entering the program the take your Affordability versus value. This is when your lender possibly will take the loss and on the difference in between some of the existing commitments and on your new loan.

In this process your lender may as well decide to provide the home owners with a more affordable monthly mortgage bill. And your lender may also determine entering the Hope Now program is a viable and an of use option for extenuating sufferers and will review the home owners eligibility into the program. All these are factors that your lender will and can take into consideration.

When you are considering entering the Hope Now program your lender will disclose to you the remuneration of the Hope Now program. Some of these benefits include; home retention, a new and affordable mortgage which is based on your current home appraised value and you and your home will gain 3.5 percent equity. Once you are a part of the Hope Now program you have a commit to maintain and you now are safe from foreclosure with a peace of mind.

Keep your home and avoid foreclosure. Know your options. Click here [http://www.fightyourforeclosure.org/ea/index.php] and talk to one of our foreclosure experts today for free. No obligation.

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A Glimmer of Hope

By Lynn Bradley

In a world where the very existence of mankind is threatened, people are desperately searching for a glimmer of hope. When jobs are vanishing, home values are sinking, mortgages are out of sight, where do you find hope? When congress is attempting to borrow their way out of debt with our money, where is the hope in that? When banks are afraid to make loans and people cannot afford the home they paid too much for, where do you look for hope?

The trillions of dollars of debt we have amassed are more than anyone can begin to comprehend. Without the means to earn a living, and many without a home they can afford, who can they look to for answers? The people in Washington seem to think that more spending will fix everything. Does that make any sense? Since we put them in office, about all we can do, is to give them a chance. If they fail, we can give the other party a shot at it.

Although the extravagant proposals to fix the economy are filled with much that has little to do with creating jobs, some will be created. It remains to be seen if they will create enough. We will get through this and be stronger for it. Americans have never shrunk back from a crisis and we are not about to give up now. As long as there is life, there is hope.

It appears that no person or groups of people have the ability to give us hope of unraveling this mess. True hope did not originate with mankind. The Lord told those in exile, "I know what I have planned for you. I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Hope from God does not come in glimmers, but downpours. He is in the hope business. From one man he created every nation and determined the set times and fixed limits of the places where everyone lives (Acts 17:26). Our Creator is the one we must look to for hope. We may feel that we are in exile, but he will provide the way out.

Lift up your heads Americans. We have survived tough times before. We were totally unprepared when engulfed into World War Two. We fired up our defense plants, worked overtime, praised the Lord and passed the ammunition, and we won! We were caught off guard when big banks made loans to those who could not afford them. We will get our bearings and win again.

Lift up your head to God. He created mankind in his image. He gave us the ability to think and solve our problems. This is no time to turn away from him. This is the time to draw near to him so he will draw near to us. He created us for success, and he has plans to help us succeed. Praise the Lord and pass the news to everyone that we have hope from the one that cannot fail.

Hope in God is not like earthly hope, since it does not depend upon human ability. Hope from above is an anchor firm and secure (Hebrew 6:18). It is that hope which God, who does not lie promised, before the beginning of time (Titus 1:2). The promises of God give confidence to face the future. They are based on his word, which it is more secure that heaven and earth (Matthew 24:35). If you want this kind of hope, you need the book, "Climbing the Heavenly Stairs." It explains how to have the confidence to live by. http://thelynnbradleybook.com

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Choosing Hope Over Fear

By Dr. Angel R. AdamsCo-Author: Dr Patricia Papciak

"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow." - Orison Marden.

On the 20th of January, 2009 I was co-facilitating a social skills group for children with Asperger Syndrome and ADHD. It was comprised of boys aged 9 to 11 at the NHS and we were fortunate to be in a room where there was a colour TV. Towards the end of the group I switched it on just as President Barack Obama was being sworn into office. I knew that the boys would remember this day in history just as I did when I was a young child watching JFK's presidential inauguration on a black-and-white television. This time it was thrilling to watch it on a big colour screen and even more earth-shaking to know that this man was the son of an African and an American taking the oath of office. As Obama was captivating millions on TV through his eloquence and brilliance as an orator, it suddenly became very quiet in the room and the boys were spell-bound as they listened to his every word. After his speech the most amazing thing happened: the boys' topics of conversations changed... they were deeper, more thoughtful... no more talk about Batman and Dr Who. Instead they began sharing spontaneously about their families, their ethnicity, their values and their hopes.

I was deeply moved and inspired by Barack Obama's speech. His positive but realistic outlook was refreshing and so needed. I thought about the kids that I work with and how frightened they can be of change, and how hope is a critical component in giving us courage to make changes. It is just easier and less threatening to stay in the comfort zone. But this president gives us hope! During his election campaign he kept saying "Yes we can!" He invoked it over and over again, which makes it clear to me that we have to do the same thing because it really is effective. We must remind ourselves over and over again "Yes I can!". We must say to our children... "Yes you can!" Every child has amazing potential... as proven so palpably by Obama.

On a broader perspective, it made me realise how much emphasis our governments have focused on fear. Fear of terrorists, fear of the recession, the haemorrhaging banks, fear of the enemies, fear of other ethnicities and religions, and fear of our differences.

Now there is a new focus. It encourages us to make a commitment to peace, to education, to hard work, to aspiration, to the human spirit, to resilience, to new belief systems. Our fear and our resistance to change is more likely to be overcome when we are equipped with hope. Obama also brought forth the message that we need to be accountable for change and for the hard work ahead and not just leave it up to the government to make those changes. It made me think back to my childhood when I heard JFK's request to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". Thus, we can either criticise the climate of our country or we can get up and do our part to make it better somehow. It's about giving more then we take. Obama's leadership will encourage all of us to use more of our own ingenuity and resourcefulness. For example, I hope that there will be more volunteering, especially by our youth, increased responsibility on our parts for clean energy, and more tolerance for one another.

Hopeful parents understand and teach their children that when life is burdened with bad news and misfortunes, hope makes us look forward to a better tomorrow. It gives us a sense of purpose, inspires us, and offers healing and strength both physically and psychologically. Hope is what causes the plantsto blossom from their seeds and makes us know that spring will follow winter, and that light comes after darkness.

Hopeful parents know they have a responsibility to instill hope in their children. I am inspired by Obama's steadfast commitment that hopefulness means to dream of a better future, where so much is possible for our children. Even during this current climate, hopeful parents will realise this is actually an ideal time to practice gratitude, to be disciplined, to be creative. It's a time to invest in ourselves, our children and our families, and to plant the seeds for the future. We must believe that the economy will eventually turn around and role-model this as hopeful parents, not fearful parents.

Vaclav Havel (poet-playwright-activist-leader) describes hope as "An attribute we carry in us always, a state of being that is not dependent on outcomes. Hope is a dimension of the soul. ... an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart. It transcends the world that is immediately experienced and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons. ... It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out." I think Obama is saying something very similar - hope is seen in the attitude you take and in how you live, which will in the long run make things turn out well! He has asked us to "Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead".

© 2009 Dr Angel Adams & Dr Patricia Papciak. All Rights Reserved.

© 2009 Dr. Angel Adams. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.prosocial.co.uk

Dr Angel Adams is a highly experienced clinical psychologist and is known as a leading advocate for parents, grandparents and foster carers in the UK. Dr Adams' expertise is in assessing, diagnosing and treating children with complex psychological and neurodevelopmental disorders. She has a private practice is in Kingston, Surrey where, over the years her work has been particularly focused on running specialised groups for children, adolescents and adults. She runs parent management training and has conducted research on group intervention for children with ADHD which she has presented at the International CHADD conference. She appeared on the BBC2's Horizon science programmes featured 'Living with ADHD'. Since 1994, she has been a guest speaker at many conferences and seminars across the UK, Europe and USA. She has also chaired conferences on ADHD.

Dr Angel Adams has worked as a clinician for over 27 years. Originally licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in America, she is also a BPS Chartered Clinical Psychologist. Dr Adams received her PhD from the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), a school within Alliant International University.

Her work involves assessment and diagnosis, psychometric testing, and implementation of therapeutic interventions for looked after children, children/adolescents and adults with a broad range of diagnoses. For the past six years she has co-run a weekly ADHD Assessment Clinic at CAMHS with a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and a Community Paediatrician. Dr Adams provides evidence-based treatment including parent-training, support groups for siblings, consultation to schools, and social skills training.

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Let's Celebrate the Inauguration of Hope by Adding It's Magic to Our Pursuit of Happiness and Love

By Hadley Finch

Let's celebrate the inauguration of hope in our country by adding the magic of hope to our pursuit of happiness and love in our personal relationships.

Let's set aside past disappointments that drain our well of hope.

Let's rise above fear, negativity, and apathy that block our hope of enjoying a loving relationship. Let's replenish our well of hope before we go on another date or spend time with our mate.

Why is hope so important?

Hope eases cynicism. It frees us to reform bad habits. It inspires us to focus on solutions and work through challenges. It reminds us that what we see will be. When we take right action, anything is possible.

I tell my online community that our tribe is named after our resilient, hopeful spirit. We're all born with this spirit. The secret is to keep it alive. Sometimes it takes a nudge from the Tribe.

Are there gathering clouds or raging storms in your relationship? If your fist is clenched, will you extend your hand with hope that you may join forces to repair the damage and revive the love?

Are you disappointed by dating relationships that end badly or don't begin in the first place? Will you add a spark of hope to your online dating profile and in your conversations with your date or mate? When you deliver on your offer of hope, you create faith, trust and a solid foundation for love to grow in your relationships.

Are you stuck in grief over lost hope? Will you let yourself see and celebrate the promise of new beginnings? Will you stop doing what isn't working, and make a fresh start filled with right action and hope?

Hope makes every relationship feel and work better. Like spring, hope blooms through the winter of our hardships in our relationships at home and around the world. Spring arrives early this year as we celebrate the inauguration of hope.

Would you like more tips you can use to survive a break up or spark up a relationship? Join Hadley Finch for A Course In Dating Miracles when you visit http://www.tribeofblondes.com

After her passionate, two-decade marriage ended in divorce, author and songwriter Hadley Finch wrote TRIBE OF BLONDES, the 1st online novel with songs, to help you rebound from lost love and burn in the Fire Of Love. Isn't that where we all want to be? The Tribe Of Blondes will help you get there. Gain instant access to your gift chapter of the novel with songs, videos and tips for happy relationships when you visithttp://www.tribeofblondes.net

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Federal Hope For Homeowners Program Offer Limited "Hope" to Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

By Mary K Lenahan

Under the Bush Administration, Congress passed the Hope for Homeowners program ("Hope") which was designed to help homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth to refinance into more affordable 30-year fixed-rate mortgages insured by the government.

Although the Hope program is better than "a poke in the eye with a sharp stick", it offers limited hope to limited homeowners, and comes with many strings attached. In fact, according to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Steve Preston, the Hope program is viewed as a failure because it is too expensive and onerous for lenders and borrowers alike.

Banks Are Not Cooperating With the Hope Program

Consumers need to be aware that there is no "right" to this program. The program is based on banks "voluntarily" participating in it. In other words, a bank will only participate if it determines on a case by case basis that it's in its own financial best interest to do so. The homeowner's interest is not a factor. To date, the banks apparently do not believe the Hope program is in their best financial interests. According to Peyton Herbert, director of foreclosure services at HomeFree USA, a housing counseling firm in Hyattsville: "Getting the lenders to agree has been our biggest challenge". "They want dollar for dollar what's owed on that loan or something close to it. That's the fly in the ointment."

Under the Hope Program Homeowners Must Share Equity and Appreciation Ownership Interests with the Federal Government Borrowers who participate in the program must not only pay hefty fees, they must share equity and appreciation in the home with the federal government.

This is how it works. The Hope program involves a FHA approved lender stepping in and agreeing to re-finance the home. The existing lender must also agree to accept a loss on its loan by accepting 96.5% of the current market value of the home.

a) Equity Sharing with FHA Reducing the loan on the house to 96.5% of the current market value leaves approximately 3.5 equity, of which 100% belongs to the FHA, not the homeowner, during the first year. FHA ownership interest in the equity decreases incrementally to 50% over the next 5 years and then remains at 50%.

b) Appreciation Sharing with FHA In addition, as the home appreciates in value over the ensuing years, the homeowner must share 50% of the appreciation with FHA. Hence if the home appreciates $20,000.00 over ten years, $10,000.00 of the appreciation belongs to FHA. The 50% sharing of appreciation with the FHA is permanent and does not decrease in time.

Hope Has Onerous Cost Burdens on the Borrowers The homeowner must pay upfront for mortgage insurance of 3% of the refinance amount, and then an annual premium 1.5% payable with the mortgage monthly payment. Hence a Hope refinance loan involving a $350,000 mortgage will involve an upfront insurance premium of $10,500.00, and then $5,250.00 annually thereafter. The annual premium ($437.50 per month in this example) will be included in the monthly payments.

Hope's Homeowner Qualifications Apply To Limited Homeowners Some of the qualifications for a homeowner are:

• 1) The home to be refinanced is a 1-unit primary residence,


• 2) The homeowners has no ownership interest in any other residential real estate,


• 3) The existing mortgage was originated on or before January 1, 2008, and the borrower has made at least 6 payments on it,


• 4) The current monthly mortgage payments exceed 31% of homeowner's gross income as of March 31, 2008,


• 5) Homeowner is unable to pay the existing mortgage(s) without help,


• 6) Homeowner must certify that they have not been convicted of fraud in the past 10 years or intentionally defaulted on their debts,


• 7) Homeowner must certify that they did not willingly provide material false information to obtain their existing mortgage(s) (i.e. did not misrepresent their income or other debt income information on the loan application)


• 8) Homeowner provide two-years of financial records


• 9) Homeowner must provide proof of income


• 10) Homeowner's debt to income ratio must be at or below 31/43

*The requirement that the mortgage payment must exceed 31 percent of a borrower's income as of March 2008, excludes homeowners who have since fallen into trouble.

Sources in the mortgage industry indicate very few if any Hope loans have gone through. If you have any experience with a loan under the program or with applying for assistance under the Hope program, please let us know and tell us about your experience at the author's blogmklenahan.wordpress.com.

Mary K. Lenahan is a Lawyer and Realtor in Southern California knowledgeable in real estate, bankruptcy, short sales.

Mary K. Lenahan, JD, Realtor

Beautiful-California-Homes-For-Sale.com [http://Beautiful-California-Homes-For-Sale.com]

(626) 798.9050

Mary.Lenahan@Dilbeck.com

Cell/Text: 626.226.6056

Blog: MKLenahan.wordpress.com

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