Hope is not just one single quality or promise.

Hope has to do with believing beyond today,
   knowing there’s a garden of beauty that awaits me.
Hope encourages me to follow my dreams,
   to believe in the part of me that envisions wholeness.
Hope is trusting that what is happening will eventually make sense,
   or if it never does become meaningful, it will still offer an opportunity for growth.
Hope assures me each morning  that my life is of value
   no matter how unsettling or disturbing my current situation is.

Hope encourages my heart not to give up
   and nudges me when it is time to move on.
Hope doesn’t need words or proofs or conditions.

Hope accepts mystery and offers the gift of solid trust in the unknown.
hope doesn’t pretend I will get all that I want
   nor does hope deny that there will be struggles down the road.
Hope tucks promises of growth and truth inside the pockets of my struggles.

Joyce Rupp