HOPE IS THE KEY

We can speak all day about the passion, the crucifixion, the tomb, and the resurrection. But it all means nothing to those who don't believe that the man they call Jesus was truly the Son of God and the Savior. Likewise, even believers can be lost in the meaning of the event that shaped the history of Christianity.

My testimony is solid, and it hasn’t changed since my awakening. I am still the wretch I was before my dip in the cleansing waters.

Every day, I am challenged by my demons. Some days are good; some days are bad. There was never a guarantee that life would change overnight or that the consequences of my decisions would be magically erased.

I have been blessed with many things in life, and I have also endured some of the worst circumstances one could imagine.

Strength comes from experience. It can make you or break you—or do both at the same time. Only through faith can one overcome what eternity holds for the soul—the very essence of our connection to the Creator.

Your life is yours to live. The choices, the questions, the answers—they are yours to face and endure.

My faith lies in my God, my Savior, and my Spirit—all of which are one and the same. My daily prayers are for protection from evil that cloaks itself in normalcy and status. I am tempted only by the things I covet on a given day.

None of this brings glory to the Trinity. My only solace is that my Advocate promises life everlasting in the presence of my Creator.

What does this mean to the faithful and the unbeliever? Nothing—unless you carry the armor given to you when you were ceremoniously dipped in the living water.

My faith is my armor. My prayer is my plea. All else falls on my understanding of this world—and hope is the key.