A Future Filled with Hope

We had our monthly youth service last night and Bro. Jonathan Hale preached.  His text was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."  He told our young people that God has plans for them, but the enemy also has plans.  Choosing the right path will bring a bright future.

My Bible reading this morning also included this verse and it is the verse of the day at the top of my blog.  It is a favorite of mine.  I love that God has plans for me and also that He is thinking about me.  I searched my blog and was surprised to find that I had only blogged about this verse ONE time!  Amazingly, I blogged about it on October 13, 2011, exactly 11 years ago today.

The Pulpit Commentary had quite a bit to say about this very.  I really liked this part:

What God Thinks About Us is of Great Importance to Us

1. God thinks what is true and wise and good. If, therefore, we can know God’s thoughts about anything we shall see the thing in its true light. Our thoughts are blinded by prejudice, colored by passion, limited by ignorance, broken, fragmentary, perverted. God’s only are clear and perfect as truth.
2. God’s thoughts are the prelude to his actions. If we know what He thinks concerning us we know how He intends to act. God’s thinking is not the contemplation of the philosopher, it is the consideration of the king. We forget this when we are so very anxious about what the world will think of us and so very indifferent about God’s thoughts concerning us. A brave man will learn to dare the world’s misjudgment, its scorn, its condemnation. But who can face God’s thoughts if they mean evil to us?

God Thinks Thoughts of Peace Concerning Us

So Jeremiah saw in the case of the Jews; so we may see for all mankind how that Christ "has broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Even when God finds it necessary to punish, His desire is to bless, and when He chastises it is in mercy, that He may reclaim. But this is not seen at the time. There are things which prevent us from seeing that God’s thoughts are of peace. Thus—the peace is not yet enjoyed; when God chastises us it looks as though He meant evil to us, because we feel the blow before we see the good fruit of it; we cannot see God’s thoughts, and must accept them in faith, waiting for a later confirmation of experience. Yet if God does think thoughts of peace concerning us, is it necessary for us to know the exact nature of them? They are known to Him if they are not known to us, and he can carry them out without any previous understanding of them on our part.

Here are a few other translations of the verse:

Amplified ~ For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

The Message ~ I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

NIV ~ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

GOD'S WORD ~ I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jesus said something similar in John 10:10 ~ I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I love that God has plans for me! God has plans for you!

If you're a teenager and don't know what path to follow ~ God has plans for you!
If you're a single adult and wonder if your future includes a mate ~ God has plans for you!
If you're trying to raise a family and making ends meet seems hard at times ~ God has plans for you!
If you're in the ministry and facing dark times ~ God has plans for you!
If you're retired and wonder if your days of usefulness are behind you ~ God has plans for you!

He's already thought it all out. Our final outcome is a future filled with hope. Peace and not disaster. Taken care of, not abandoned. Smile ~ God's thinking about you today!

Already There

Much is being said and written about the new year.  Dreams, hopes, plans, goals, resolutions, desires.  I've seen "Verse of the Year" and "Word of the Year" - ideas that intrigue me.  How do you choose a verse or a word for your unseen future?  I've heard people say, "This is my life verse."  And I'm amazed by that.  How does one single verse fit a lifetime?  I have so many "favorite" verses!  A verse that fit 2010 wasn't relevant to where I was living in 1985.   Snatches of verses come to mind, "my times are in thy hand," "great peace have they which live thy law," "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," "I've never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread."  Verses that hold great meaning in my life.  I could never choose just one.  (I don't have one favorite song, either!)

I was thinking about all this when I was in the car this morning.  I heard the song "Already There" by Casting Crowns.  It was the reminder that I needed.  Yes, I need to make plans for 2014, but I need to leave the outcome in the capable hands of the One Who is already there.

Already There

From where I'm standing, Lord it's so hard for me to see
Where this is going and where You're leading me
I wish I knew how all my fears and all my questions
Are gonna play out in a world I can't control

Oh, oh

When I'm lost in the mystery to You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there, You're already there
Standing at the end of my life waiting on the other side
And You're already there, You're already there

Oh, oh, oh, oh

From where You're standing, Lord, You see a grand design
That You imagined when You breathed me into life
And all the chaos comes together in Your hands
Like a masterpiece of Your picture perfect plan

When I'm lost in the mystery to You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there, You're already there
Standing at the end of my life waiting on the other side
And You're already there, You're already there

One day I'll stand before You
And look back on the life I've lived
I can't wait to enjoy the view
And see how all the pieces fit

One day I'll stand before You
And look back on the life I've lived
Cause You're already there, You're already there
When I'm lost in the mystery to You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there, You're already there
Standing at the end of my life waiting on the other side
And You're already there, You're already there

You are already there 

So whether you're excited or nervous about the upcoming year ~ remember, He's already there.

A Future Filled with Hope

My Verse of the Day today is one of my favorites, Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Here are a few other translations:

Amplified ~ For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

The Message ~ I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

NIV ~ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

GOD'S WORD ~ I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jesus said something similar in John 10:10 ~ I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I love that God has plans for me! God has plans for you!

If you're a teenager and don't know what path to follow ~ God has plans for you!
If you're a single adult and wonder if your future includes a mate ~ God has plans for you!
If you're trying to raise a family and making ends meet seems hard at times ~ God has plans for you!
If you're in the ministry and facing dark times ~ God has plans for you!
If you're retired and wonder if your days of usefulness are behind you ~ God has plans for you!

He's already thought it all out. Our final outcome is a future filled with hope. Peace and not disaster. Taken care of, not abandoned. Smile ~ God's thinking about you today!

Congratulations Graduates!

There have been an abundance of graduation announcements pouring into our mailbox this year!

College grads:

My nephew, Ryan Fultz - Bachelor of Arts in Composition from Berklee College of Music:



Vivian Gonzalez - Master of Science in Nursing:


Sarah Montano - Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies:


High School grads:

Eliana Tarazon, John Burroughs High School:


Gary Molina, Ulysses S. Grant High School:



Josue Siguil, East Valley High School:


Andrew Klann, Truth Tabernacle Christian School:


I pray God's very best for all of you!