1 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:03,379 Does it feel like hope is a betrayal? 2 00:00:04,765 --> 00:00:11,875 Like if you start to look forward to tomorrow or the next day, or maybe even 3 00:00:11,875 --> 00:00:18,935 a vacation that you're somehow leaving your child behind in yesterday, friend, 4 00:00:18,935 --> 00:00:22,264 that is the guilt of grief and it's a lie. 5 00:00:22,955 --> 00:00:26,374 And that lie can keep you paralyzed in the dark. 6 00:00:26,885 --> 00:00:29,764 But today we're gonna break that chain. 7 00:00:30,724 --> 00:00:31,985 We're giving you permission to hope. 8 00:00:31,985 --> 00:00:39,671 Again, not because your heart doesn't hurt, not because your love has somehow 9 00:00:39,851 --> 00:00:46,181 disappeared, but because your anchor is fixed in a place that cannot be shaken. 10 00:00:47,006 --> 00:00:47,996 Stay with me friend. 11 00:01:24,706 --> 00:01:28,936 Welcome back to the final episode of our Permission to Practice series. 12 00:01:28,996 --> 00:01:33,376 I'm Theresa Davis, your host, and today we're talking about the one thing that 13 00:01:33,376 --> 00:01:39,376 the enemy wants to steal from you the most, more than anything else, and 14 00:01:39,376 --> 00:01:45,136 that friend is your hope, the very thing that we need to face tomorrow. 15 00:01:46,246 --> 00:01:49,096 We've rested, we've said no. 16 00:01:49,906 --> 00:01:51,916 We've quieted the noise. 17 00:01:52,216 --> 00:01:55,216 Now, today it's time to drop the anchor. 18 00:01:56,173 --> 00:02:02,293 Most of us look at hope from a whimsical place, right? 19 00:02:02,293 --> 00:02:08,743 Like a wish we say things like, I hope I feel better soon, or, 20 00:02:08,893 --> 00:02:10,723 I hope the holidays aren't hard. 21 00:02:11,663 --> 00:02:12,833 I hope it doesn't rain today. 22 00:02:13,858 --> 00:02:16,918 But friend, that's not Kingdom Hope. 23 00:02:17,668 --> 00:02:27,088 Today we're talking about Kingdom Hope and it is not a, maybe as these other 24 00:02:27,088 --> 00:02:31,678 terms imply, no friend, it is a certainty. 25 00:02:32,143 --> 00:02:33,403 Hebrews six 19. 26 00:02:34,003 --> 00:02:35,563 I love this so very much. 27 00:02:35,563 --> 00:02:39,133 It's one of the places that the Holy Spirit took me early in my grief journey 28 00:02:39,343 --> 00:02:43,963 to help me understand that I was being held, even though I didn't feel it. 29 00:02:44,443 --> 00:02:47,833 And this is what it says, this hope. 30 00:02:48,553 --> 00:02:54,253 His hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. 31 00:02:54,553 --> 00:02:59,173 You see, when we are grieving moms and dads, we need something different 32 00:02:59,263 --> 00:03:02,053 than surface level hope, don't we? 33 00:03:03,223 --> 00:03:07,993 No, we, we need something that's gonna anchor our soul, 34 00:03:08,053 --> 00:03:10,213 the very essence of who we are. 35 00:03:10,963 --> 00:03:15,133 It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. 36 00:03:15,538 --> 00:03:17,488 Oh friend, that bless my heart so much. 37 00:03:18,478 --> 00:03:22,391 I never thought of God's arms like an inner sanctuary. 38 00:03:23,681 --> 00:03:24,851 Think about that for a minute. 39 00:03:25,541 --> 00:03:33,071 Your hope isn't anchored in your bank account or your health, or the car you 40 00:03:33,071 --> 00:03:36,251 drive, or the house that you live in. 41 00:03:37,091 --> 00:03:38,081 It's anchored. 42 00:03:38,501 --> 00:03:43,001 Behind the curtain, it's tethered to the very place where Jesus 43 00:03:43,001 --> 00:03:44,951 is and where your child is. 44 00:03:44,951 --> 00:03:45,311 Friend. 45 00:03:45,311 --> 00:03:47,411 Don't, don't let that get lost on you. 46 00:03:48,778 --> 00:03:52,318 Hope isn't moving away from your child. 47 00:03:53,998 --> 00:03:59,808 Hope is reaching forward into the eternity that is already yours. 48 00:04:00,813 --> 00:04:04,053 The place where your child is already at the place that you 49 00:04:04,053 --> 00:04:06,453 are moving toward, not behind. 50 00:04:07,420 --> 00:04:10,270 So how do we practice hope when our hearts are still breaking? 51 00:04:11,515 --> 00:04:14,215 I wanna give you some tools today to be able to do that because if 52 00:04:14,215 --> 00:04:18,115 you're very early in your grief journey, it is very challenging to 53 00:04:18,115 --> 00:04:22,165 see anything that looks like hope because our hearts are so broken. 54 00:04:22,885 --> 00:04:25,645 But I wanna teach you how to look for glimmers. 55 00:04:25,645 --> 00:04:27,415 That's what we're gonna call 'em today, friends. 56 00:04:27,415 --> 00:04:27,685 Okay? 57 00:04:27,685 --> 00:04:32,905 We're gonna call them Glimmers of Hope, a tiny micro evidence. 58 00:04:33,715 --> 00:04:38,545 That God is still in your story and that he has not forgotten you. 59 00:04:39,085 --> 00:04:40,795 This is a look at it like this. 60 00:04:41,140 --> 00:04:42,970 It's the opposite of a trigger. 61 00:04:43,180 --> 00:04:46,870 You know, a trigger takes us down that path and we gotta, we've 62 00:04:46,870 --> 00:04:48,580 gotta do something to stop it. 63 00:04:48,580 --> 00:04:52,630 There has to be a catalyst that stops us, that helps us recover from that trigger. 64 00:04:53,050 --> 00:04:54,580 It's the opposite of that. 65 00:04:54,580 --> 00:04:59,500 Today we're gonna look at things that are tiny micro evidence, those little 66 00:04:59,500 --> 00:05:02,500 glimmers that if we blink, we might miss. 67 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,680 But I wanna get your heart and your mind and your soul tuned 68 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,210 into looking for those today. 69 00:05:07,390 --> 00:05:08,290 So how do we do that? 70 00:05:08,290 --> 00:05:09,730 The first step is being aware. 71 00:05:10,525 --> 00:05:15,685 Stop and notice one thing today that you were able to do that you 72 00:05:15,685 --> 00:05:20,005 weren't able to do a week ago, two weeks ago, three weeks ago. 73 00:05:21,655 --> 00:05:22,645 Look at nature. 74 00:05:23,305 --> 00:05:29,035 Listen, God created the Garden of Eden, A paradise for his people to live in. 75 00:05:29,785 --> 00:05:30,865 Being outside. 76 00:05:31,375 --> 00:05:33,205 Is being in God's creation. 77 00:05:33,565 --> 00:05:36,475 I want you to look at something, whatever that is for you. 78 00:05:36,925 --> 00:05:38,845 Sometimes it's, it's a bird. 79 00:05:39,085 --> 00:05:43,945 Sometimes it's just seeing the natural habitat of being in the woods, 80 00:05:44,125 --> 00:05:46,435 seeing the natural growth of trees. 81 00:05:46,845 --> 00:05:49,365 For those of you that have read my devotional, you know that I 82 00:05:49,365 --> 00:05:53,325 spent some time in there talking about a burl, not look it up. 83 00:05:53,325 --> 00:05:54,225 It's fascinating. 84 00:05:54,495 --> 00:05:57,705 Those are the kinds of things that we find when we're in nature. 85 00:05:58,125 --> 00:05:58,935 The very. 86 00:05:59,385 --> 00:06:06,165 Beauty of a sunrise and a sunset that loses its, I wanna 87 00:06:06,165 --> 00:06:09,405 say, value to us because. 88 00:06:10,395 --> 00:06:13,875 In our grief journeys, every time the sun comes up, it's a reminder, right? 89 00:06:14,325 --> 00:06:15,735 Another day without our child. 90 00:06:16,035 --> 00:06:20,055 Every time the sun sets, it's a reminder that we spent a day without our child. 91 00:06:20,325 --> 00:06:22,875 But this is where I want you to see a change here. 92 00:06:23,205 --> 00:06:27,855 Instead of looking at it like that, I want you to look at it like this. 93 00:06:28,185 --> 00:06:29,625 Every time that sun rise. 94 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,200 You are closer to spending eternity with your child. 95 00:06:34,530 --> 00:06:39,810 Every time that sun sets you are one day closer to your reunion. 96 00:06:40,533 --> 00:06:44,913 When we start looking at it like , that friend, there is a transition that takes 97 00:06:44,913 --> 00:06:48,663 place in our heart and minds, and it may not feel natural to you at first. 98 00:06:48,663 --> 00:06:53,073 This is why we're going to practice this whole series is called Permission 99 00:06:53,163 --> 00:06:58,773 to Practice because we can hear and absorb information all day long, but 100 00:06:58,908 --> 00:07:03,213 until we put it into practice, it will not make a difference in our life. 101 00:07:03,453 --> 00:07:07,863 Now, let me preface that by saying those of you that are in. 102 00:07:08,628 --> 00:07:13,118 A month from doing life with your kid or six months from doing life with your kid. 103 00:07:13,328 --> 00:07:15,638 All of this sounds foreign and impossible. 104 00:07:15,668 --> 00:07:16,328 That's okay. 105 00:07:16,598 --> 00:07:19,558 You still need to listen because I want you to hear it because I 106 00:07:19,558 --> 00:07:24,118 want you to feel that, hear that, see that Holy Spirit drawing you 107 00:07:24,118 --> 00:07:25,858 toward what I'm talking about today. 108 00:07:27,088 --> 00:07:29,878 So I want you to start noticing those glimmers. 109 00:07:30,118 --> 00:07:33,448 Maybe it's a kind act that someone did for you today. 110 00:07:34,318 --> 00:07:37,948 Maybe it was a smile, maybe it was a text. 111 00:07:38,308 --> 00:07:40,378 Hey, I'm thinking about you today. 112 00:07:41,308 --> 00:07:45,508 Start to notice those and then friend, don't just notice it. 113 00:07:46,408 --> 00:07:48,028 I want you to speak it out loud. 114 00:07:48,268 --> 00:07:49,978 I want you to see it as a gift. 115 00:07:50,188 --> 00:07:52,918 I want you to thank God for it. 116 00:07:53,810 --> 00:07:57,560 One of the biggest changes came in my grief journey after the Holy 117 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,340 Spirit convinced me that I needed to be thankful for the things that 118 00:08:01,340 --> 00:08:03,350 I still had my life in my life. 119 00:08:03,860 --> 00:08:06,260 Now, I resisted that if you know my whole story. 120 00:08:06,260 --> 00:08:10,340 I did it kicking and screaming with my heels dug in because I was 121 00:08:10,340 --> 00:08:14,780 like a little toddler stomping my feet that I wanted my son back. 122 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,730 I am just being honest and very transparent with you here, friend, 123 00:08:19,730 --> 00:08:21,590 because that is exactly how I felt. 124 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:26,180 But when I was able to turn that corner and start recognizing things in my life to 125 00:08:26,180 --> 00:08:28,700 be thankful for, the bitterness left me. 126 00:08:29,420 --> 00:08:32,960 So I'm encouraging you, friend, when you see this glimmer of hope. 127 00:08:33,020 --> 00:08:34,160 That's the first step. 128 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:38,090 Notice the second step is to acknowledge. 129 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,240 I want you to say it out loud, Lord. 130 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:49,070 Thank you for this beautiful, whatever it is, sunset, sunrise for this beautiful, 131 00:08:49,430 --> 00:08:52,280 um, bird that I'm watching right now. 132 00:08:52,670 --> 00:08:55,640 Lord, thank you for this text that I received from this friend. 133 00:08:55,940 --> 00:08:58,850 Thank you Lord for prompting them to send that to me today. 134 00:08:59,300 --> 00:09:03,705 Thank you Lord for this card that I got in the mail that simply said, I'm here. 135 00:09:04,415 --> 00:09:09,935 I'm thinking of you start to shift your mind to allow yourself to be thankful. 136 00:09:10,115 --> 00:09:12,665 First step is that you're going to notice or be aware. 137 00:09:12,665 --> 00:09:14,075 Second step is acknowledged. 138 00:09:14,315 --> 00:09:17,435 Now, this third step is so very important. 139 00:09:17,915 --> 00:09:21,965 I'm gonna call it the anchor step, where you're gonna tie number 140 00:09:21,965 --> 00:09:23,825 one and number two together. 141 00:09:23,975 --> 00:09:24,395 Okay? 142 00:09:24,485 --> 00:09:27,245 Number one is where you notice number two is where you acknowledge. 143 00:09:27,245 --> 00:09:32,165 Number three is where you're gonna tie these two, two together in an anchor. 144 00:09:32,833 --> 00:09:38,983 Psalms 27 13 says this friend, I remain confident of this, that 145 00:09:38,983 --> 00:09:42,853 I will see the goodness of the Lord and the land of the living. 146 00:09:44,083 --> 00:09:45,043 I'm gonna say it again. 147 00:09:45,523 --> 00:09:49,423 I remain confident of this, that I will see the goodness of the 148 00:09:49,423 --> 00:09:50,743 Lord and the land of the living. 149 00:09:51,883 --> 00:09:55,303 When we shift our focus and our hearts toward finding 150 00:09:55,303 --> 00:09:56,713 something to be thankful for. 151 00:09:56,893 --> 00:10:00,553 I don't care how small it is, how short the glimmer is. 152 00:10:01,423 --> 00:10:06,613 I want you to start training your eyes to see that because God 153 00:10:06,613 --> 00:10:07,993 is still in your story, friend. 154 00:10:09,133 --> 00:10:12,763 He is right there with you in the messy middle of all of this. 155 00:10:14,113 --> 00:10:19,843 So this is your permission to practice to find glimmers of hope in your story. 156 00:10:21,463 --> 00:10:25,063 If you're listening to me right now and you feel so completely lost that 157 00:10:25,063 --> 00:10:28,963 this feels impossible to you, that you feel like that you are moving 158 00:10:28,963 --> 00:10:32,893 closer and closer to despair, friend, I don't want you to stay there. 159 00:10:32,893 --> 00:10:34,063 Please don't stay there. 160 00:10:34,633 --> 00:10:36,043 This is why I do what I do. 161 00:10:36,763 --> 00:10:39,463 I wanna help you get your footing on the solid rock. 162 00:10:41,203 --> 00:10:43,273 Now friend, that doesn't happen without intention. 163 00:10:43,453 --> 00:10:46,393 That's what this whole series has been about. 164 00:10:46,843 --> 00:10:48,733 Permission to practice. 165 00:10:48,763 --> 00:10:55,893 We must, have intention in order to be able to find a way to live. 166 00:10:55,923 --> 00:11:01,027 Again, I would be honored if you would consider allowing me to 167 00:11:01,027 --> 00:11:02,317 speak into your grief journey. 168 00:11:02,905 --> 00:11:06,205 You can book a grief mentor session with me at the link in my show notes 169 00:11:06,235 --> 00:11:09,175 or on my website@thegriefmentor.com. 170 00:11:10,015 --> 00:11:11,695 Let's sit together. 171 00:11:11,875 --> 00:11:14,095 Let's figure this out together. 172 00:11:14,665 --> 00:11:18,565 Let me help you see things that you cannot see that are hiding from 173 00:11:18,565 --> 00:11:20,965 you because of the noise of grief. 174 00:11:21,535 --> 00:11:21,745 Okay? 175 00:11:21,745 --> 00:11:24,655 You don't have to find your way back to hope all by yourself. 176 00:11:25,975 --> 00:11:27,700 You have permission to hope. 177 00:11:29,365 --> 00:11:38,335 You have permission to look toward a future, not because you have moved 178 00:11:38,335 --> 00:11:41,185 away from the life with your child. 179 00:11:41,815 --> 00:11:47,065 Quite the opposite, because you know the one who holds your future, right? 180 00:11:47,065 --> 00:11:48,565 Your anchor is behind the veil. 181 00:11:48,565 --> 00:11:52,765 It's firm, it is secure, it is trustworthy. 182 00:11:52,765 --> 00:11:55,435 It is full of hope and friend. 183 00:11:55,435 --> 00:11:56,515 That's where your child is. 184 00:11:58,330 --> 00:12:05,650 Just on the other side of the veil, when we can allow ourselves to consider that 185 00:12:05,650 --> 00:12:07,780 there's so much more life to be lived. 186 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,180 Can't kill a Christian friend. 187 00:12:11,590 --> 00:12:17,170 You know, when we wear the blood of Jesus Christ, when we wear the 188 00:12:17,170 --> 00:12:22,240 breastplate of righteousness, we are in a position where we are in Him. 189 00:12:23,260 --> 00:12:24,580 When we are in him. 190 00:12:25,043 --> 00:12:26,993 We are in right standing with God. 191 00:12:28,493 --> 00:12:32,813 I could say so much more about that for him because it is so much a part 192 00:12:32,813 --> 00:12:36,653 of my grief journey and what he's taught me to be where I am right now. 193 00:12:37,133 --> 00:12:40,673 I would love to help you be able to do that if that's something you feel 194 00:12:40,673 --> 00:12:44,843 like would benefit you, I would be honored to walk this journey with you. 195 00:12:45,503 --> 00:12:48,893 God bless your friend, and that's all I have for you today. 196 00:12:49,433 --> 00:12:51,388 So until next time, take care.