Can you SEE your hope? Can I see it in you?

Enough with vague descriptions of hope.

Enough with over-spiritualized language conjuring scenes of an ethereal and eternal singing service in the clouds.

We need a reality check as to what the 'regeneration of all things' will look like.

Only as that becomes compelling will it rock us enough that people might actually want to know what we've got.

I love the look on this dog.

Any doubt that he has 'the assurance of things hoped for?' Any doubt that he knows, in his little doggie-knower, that his hope is real and delightful and coming not-anytime-to-soon?

Any doubt that every fiber in his being is vibrating in agreement about the object of his hope? Can you feel his certainty and longing?

Any question how he'll respond when it's released?

Granted, you might not want to have your tongue hanging out, but we could ALL use that kind of concrete, tangible, and infectious hope.

In his book, All Things New, John Eldredge states, 'How you envision your future impacts your current experience more than anything else.'

How ARE we envisioning our future? How tangible is it? How real?

If not, why not?

At the center is this truth: Your heart craves Kingdom.

It craves freedom, wholeness, lush mountains, ocean waves, laughter, justice, and a whole lot of ice cream....just to tease out a few examples.

It explains why it hurts so much when we see things that are not right.

And it explains the addictions and distractions that rush in to fill the void for what we long so deeply.

The Kingdom in fullness will not be 'up there,' it comes here: Creation is released from the curse, the new Jerusalem comes down and He dwells among us and makes all things new.

So...just what are the first 3 things you'll do in the restored, renewed and released earth? Think of you with the joy of a 4th grader who just got out of school for the summer... Can you feel that?

Yes, Virginia, you can begin to SEE that the fulness is REAL, and PROMISED and it's COMING.