Here’s Hoping

In the midst of the darkness, we hang on to the light. 

The prophet Isaiah said,


“The spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the broken hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,

and the day of our God.”

Hope is convinced that God will keep God’s promises.

Hope believes in the beauty of tomorrow and the holiness of today.

Hope wakes us up in the morning, and lights a fire in our hearts.

Hope sings a song and sets us free.

Our Hope is in a God who has made promises:

that the broken can be mended, 

and the grieving can be comforted, 

and the hopeless will find hope.

Together, we lean into these promises, 

sometimes with strong faith, 

sometimes with big questions, 

but always with hope.

For a light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness does not overcome it.


Rev. Anne Russ is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), currently based in New York City. Doubting Believer provides tools and encouragement for the rollercoaster ride of your faith journey. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and YouTube. You can also follow on TikTok. Get emails to keep up with all that is happening.

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