Hope the Goal Setter
By Dr.Handel Leslie
It is said that hope is the anchor of the soul, the stimulus to action and the incentive to achievement. What kind of world would we live in without hope? It is the force that dispels despair, conquers fear and overcomes uncertainties. Living men become like corpses without it; while destinies are shaped by its presence. No one moves ahead without it. Hope is the springboard to your success and the bliss of a glorious tomorrow.

The dictionary defines it as, the positive expectation that something good is going to happen. When a vision of hope surfaces; the picture of a gloomy future disappears. A dream without hope is only daydreaming. Visions are guided by its great compass; for to be alive, is to be hopeful. The old adage says, “Where there is life, there is hope.” Dreams may be broken but with hope, they can come to life again.

You may have fallen but hope gives the power for a new start. Starting over does not mean one is a failure, it means that he has been energized by hope. Broken hearts are mended when hope becomes the prescription. The pain of yesterday subsides when the medicine of hope is applied.
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Life’s disappointments submerge to its power. We are taught to seize life and have great expectations for a future full of good things. Solomon encouraged us to maintain this attitude when he wrote in Ecclesiastes 9:4, “Still, anyone selected out of life has hope, for, as they say, ‘A living dog is better than a dead lion.’” (MSG) The lion is considered the king of the beasts when it is alive. But a living dog is more powerful than a dead lion. Living people that have faith are hopeful people. They do not surrender to their conditions or circumstances.
 To them setbacks are not considered pitfalls but potential comebacks. They have strong wills, tempered by faith, the force that gives substance to hope. Don’t focus on the dark side, see through eyes of hope. Expect things to turn out for the best and they will. It is said, “Beyond every dark cloud, there is a silver lining.” There is always hope at the end of the tunnel. Remember, today’s setbacks will be tomorrow’s comeback; today’s pain will be tomorrow’s gain.

Trouble never lasts forever, after the mourning comes the morning. The famed American President John F Kennedy once, Every area of trouble gives out a ray of hope, and the one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable. Never give up; never give in. Those who conquer do so with strong hope. Let hope mixed with faith, become the fuel for your journey. When it seems like all odds are against you, take time to refuel. You may lose everything in life but never lose hope. When the light is dim, keep hope alive.