4 Ways to Express Your Hope
When You Hear the Singing
You mainly hear whirs and swishes and clicks of machines in ICU.
My best friends and I are spending many hours standing vigil there the past few weeks. We listen to the sounds. We monitor the numbers. We watch for signs of progress.
Another lifelong friend is struggling to survive.
So when I hear the singing, I am startled.
4 Ways to Express Hope
The singing is coming from a nurse. As she moves around the room, circling over our friend, checking screens, and adjusting medicines, she is also quietly singing.
Singing can be a sound of hope overflowing. That’s what I need to hear.
These are four ways we can best express our hope, says Jason G. Duesing in Mere Hope.
- Remember
- Pray
- Sing
- Share
In a culture of cynicism or in a circumstance of hopelessness, we need to be reminded to hope.
“To live a life of mere hope is to live knowing that our story ends in joy.”
- We express hope when we remember the goodness of God.
- We express hope when we pray in conversation with God.
- We express hope when we sing out of our overflow or when hope needs restoring.
- We express hope when we share with others our source of hope.
As the nurse continues to sing, I know it doesn’t mean my friend is out of danger. But it does mean that in this present moment he is stable. No panics. No alarms. No scares.
Her expression of hope brings assurance. It brings calm. It serves me.
“Hope flourishes when it is employed in the service of others.”
It is the sign I need.
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What hope are you holding open this week? Please share in the comments.
Here’s a song of hope I’ve been singing lately.
These situations are so hard to walk and wait through. Praying for your friend and his friends and family as you wait in hope.
Thank you, Barbara. I know the Lord hears your prayers.
It is refreshing to hear about the nurse going about with hope that encouraged you.
I will pray for your friend. Could you pray for the young man who grew up next door to us and is struggling to find hope?
Praying tonight for your friend, Carol. May he discover hope and hold on tightly to it.
Oh man… This makes so much sense. Music is a gift from God and singing can be so powerful. I’ll remember and practice this.
I’m praying for your friend, Lisa.
I appreciate you praying for my friend, Floyd. He made a few more strides today. Small ones, but answers to prayer nonetheless.
Praying for your friend today. That God meets his needs and that He reveals Himself in mighty new ways for you both!
That’s a precious prayer, Becky. I appreciate you very much.
A story of hope in the midst of trial: just what we need to be reminded of everyday! I believe with my whole heart that music and singing effect our hearts, minds, and souls in such an important way and we can never go wrong when our song praised the true Hope of the world! Thank you for sharing such a personal story! Prayer lifted.
Lisa, I meant to let you know I’m praying for a teenager I’m mentoring. We have begun talking about his need for salvation and I would appreciate prayers for him and that I have the right words! Thank you!
Praying for your friend right now, Cindy. May the Lord breathe words through you that reach the heart of this teenager.
Father God,
Thank you for this nurse singing and giving hope to Lisa. We pray for your mercy and healing on Lisa’s dear friend. Please heal his body. Heal his breathing and the cells and muscles and organs in his body that need healing. Lay your healing touch upon his body, soul, mind, spirit, and will. Let him experience your Healing Presence. Give him and Lisa your hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I breathed in your words and prayed them as I read them, Dolly. They are so very valuable to me. Thank you, friend.
Praying for your friend. I will remember your thoughts on hope – remember, sing, pray, share. God is with you and your friend.
I appreciate your prayers, Laurie. And your encouragement that God is with me, God is with my friend. Yes and amen.
I’ve been thinking much about singing lately. I’ve serendipitously come across it in the past couple days on blogs I read, and now yours. I’ve been really depressed lately, and when we started back to our Bach rehearsals last Monday night, my spirit lifted. I have the joy at home of practicing my Bach daily. And I have Baroque music playing on Alexa, internet radio, or the CD player continuously. But there is something so intimate about singing some of it yourself. For me, singing is praying, and singing is praising, and not to mention, that singing is just plain fun! I’m glad you shared it as a hope harbinger. I’ve also read several Biblical references in the last two days about a song in the night. I’m praying God will give me one.
Love
Lynn
Greetings in Christ to all.of u.
Please pray for me Jojo that i sell my house soon. And the perfect home that i can afford and handle w loving neighbors is being prepared for me right now. That God will bless me, guide me and calm me during all of this chaos. Please pray for my new friends Mark and Billy as they fight their battles with Cancer!!! Billy has an operation next week and I ask for prayers of healing quickly. Mark stays in remission and is cured. Billy too!!!! I also need prayers for Marks mom healing of COPD. I ask and pray for all this thru my Lord and Savior Jesus Amen !!!!
We are in a season with several families in our church being touched by loss. How wonderful to minister to others with well-chosen music that expresses hope.
Lisa,
And this is why gospel music is always playing in my home. Music, worship music, gospel music from artists like Alvin Slaughter give me so much hope. There’s a speaker in my kitchen and one in my bedroom. Music is a huge part of my life. The right song at the right time can truly lift our spirits and give us so much hope.
Praying for your friend right now, Lisa. I’m thankful he has a nurse who sings and friends like you who care enough to be there in that room with him.
I’m so sorry for your friend, Lisa. I pray God heals him and gives all of you friends strength. What a blessing to have a singing nurse. Love and blessings to you!