Definitions

I'm not one to really make New Year's resolutions.

It's like dieting. I've never been a big fan. Healthy eating is something that should really be incorporated into a lifestyle, not just for a month, a season, a year. So a NY resolution to me is a short-term idea when I want long-term growth.

That being said, my friends and I for the past two years have each decided on a word (or two) for the year. It can be a word to describe how we want the year to be, something we want to press into, a direction we feel God may be taking us, whatever. This past year's word for me was focus. Focus on God and everything else will fall into place. I think I'm still working on the "fall into place" but it was one heck of a year. (I'll spare you the recap...you can read back through the past 12 months' posts for that.)

This years' word is: hope infusion.

I can't take credit for it. I was sitting in church listening as KQ talked about the power of remembering and how God has hardwired us to hope. "He will never forget me. He gives me a hope." And when he said the words hope infusion I felt something flicker in my soul as a wave of peace washed over me.

And I knew it was the word for 2013.

To be honest, I didn't/don't know exactly why. But I knew God spoke clearly to me. There was something in those words, something He wanted me to hear.

So I am listening.

The first thing I discovered is that it helps to know the definition of the words.

Infusion - the act or process of infusing. (Gee, thanks for that...don't you love when one thing leads to another...story of my life.)

Infusing - to cause to be permeated with something that alters, usually for the better

Thank you, Merriam-Webster.

There's something about this word...infusion...just by saying it you sort of know its meaning. I almost feel like if I were saying the word to someone who doesn't speak English that somehow they'd know the meaning. Then again, I've always spoken English. So maybe not. Either way, there's something about just saying the word that leads you to understand its meaning.

Infusion. Check.

Now on to hope. This is the real beast.

I feel like the world has done one heck of a job tainting the true meaning of hope. We'll say things like:
"I hope you have a great day!"

"I hope I can take a nap later today."

"I hope to have kids one day."

Even "I hope the Bachelor is on tonight!" (Ok, for the record, I would never say that!)

Hope. What is it really?

I'm sitting in this right now. I don't have a direct answer. But I do know the Bible blows my puny definitions to pieces...

Psalm 39:7, NIV
But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.


Psalm 31:24, NIV
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.


Proverbs 24:14, NIV
Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.


Romans 5:1-5, NIV (I tried to shorten it, but dang, it is so full of goodness I couldn't...)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. 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 perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope that does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.


Hang on. Read that one again. Soak in faith...grace...hope...suffering...perseverance...character...hope. Hope that does not disappoint. Thank you, sweet Jesus. And one more (there are actually tons more!) for good measure...

Hebrews 10:23, NIV
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.


Hope is deep. And good. Oh so good.

And certainly worth having an infusion of. So 2013 is 17 days underway, and I am already seeing effects of opening my heart to this glorious infusion as God pours out His love into my heart by the Holy Spirit...


How do you define hope? Soul? Mind? Spirit? Heart? Will? Character? Personality?

Join me in re-centering earthly definitions based on our Creator's dictionary...