Hope?

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."  (Romans 5:5)

Yes, there are a lot of things happening, changing and causing difficulties.  Yes, there are even new things happening meaning learning new things while making said changes.  Yes, this is affecting each, and all, of us even as we continue to care for "our" people.  Yes, it is scary, and tiring, for us and for our care receivers.  Yes, especially with everything happening we really need to make sure our relationship with God is strong.

Through all of this, however, we have hope.  We KNOW God IS with us, holding us by the hand (Isaiah 41:10 & 13) and guiding us.  We celebrated Pentecost and remember the power of the Holy Spirit in us.  Now we are reminded of this in this reading in Romans -- "God's love.... poured into us.......through the Holy Spirit.....given to us."  God's love "poured into us" and filling us to the point we start talking, and sharing, about it. (Acts 2:4)

Yes, things are changing.  Yes, new (and difficult) things are needed.  Will it be easy? No!  BUT we do have God - who has given us hope.  We have a God who keeps promises.  So we can move forward - even into new, and challenging, things.