Finding Hope in the Fog.

   I have so many things I've wanted to write about this past month, but because of much traveling I haven't had the time to sit down and write. But this entry I have decided to combine it all, as it's all about what God has been speaking to me in situations, in dreams, and in life- especially for 2016. And it all comes down to one big word for this year... Hope.

   I have many many desires for what I hope will be in 2016. However, I don't think I've even been so blinded in stepping into a year surrounded by fog of how to get to my hopes and dreams... the "fog" being the impossibility of it all. 

   While I was in America visiting my family for Christmas, I planned a hiking trip for my boyfriends birthday. We left early in the morning, and at the start it began to rain... it poured. We stopped at the rest area, and randomly decided "lets go for a run in the rain!" and we got out and ran through the pouring rain around the building, laughing like little kids. We got back into the car soaking wet and took silly photos. 

   I kept commenting about the clouds on the horizon in the sky- they looked just like mountains! We were actually heading toward the mountains, so I said it was as if God was prophetically showing us in the heavens that the mountains are ahead (since that was our destination, but at the time we were still too far from the mountains to see them). We also noticed during this trip, we passed many signs saying "Hope".

   The rain soon stopped and we soon drove into some intense fog. It was so foggy we could barely see the car in front of us. After a hour or two of driving, the fog suddenly cleared, and we were IN the mountains- even halfway up one. We had no idea that we had already arrived because of the fog surrounding us, and it was so exciting when it suddenly cleared and we realized "We're there!"

   God spoke to me so much through this day. Looking back, we could have let the pouring rain discourage us from our day of hiking (even the forecast said it would rain all day!) but we still went and had no rain when we arrived. And we chose not to worry, but to have fun in the rain for the time the rain was present. Then seeing the mountain-shaped clouds- When God gives us a promise, we hold onto it even in the fog. And when we are in a season of fog, sometimes we just have to trust and move forward until it clears. This feels so much like my season right now- lost in the fog that could seem hopeless with impossibilities. But even through the fog God was reminding me to Hope. 

Proverbs 13:12 says 

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is the tree of life."

  I had a dream two nights ago from God. Again, encouraging me to hope. I knew this dream was not just for me, but for so many people right now around the world.

   In the dream I was with Shanen (my boyfriend) in a church and there was a strong presence of God. So strong I couldn't stop crying. There was a little girl around 2 or 3 years old in front of me with her parents, sitting on her fathers lap, crying from a vision she was having from God. I wanted to know what she was seeing and when I talked to her I could instantly see the vision God was showing her:   In the vision she had a little house on a piece of land. Her father had planted a fruit tree in the backyard and it had grown so big, and was very much loved by the little girl and her dad. She loved that fruit tree and she was crying bc it was going to be cut down. She and her family prayed and prayed and did everything they could do to save it- but in the end the tree was cut down and the little house was destroyed bc it couldn't survive without the tree. But on the last day the little girl enjoyed one last piece of fruit from the tree before leaving with a sad heart.    Years went by and she came back to the land with another to show them where she use to live. She had even told them the story of this great tree she once loved and how sad it was that they had lost it. But when she arrived, she found the tree there again- although it was much smaller than the original- But it was clearly the same tree! She then had the wisdom that this tree was born out of that last piece of fruit she enjoyed before leaving- and after the tree and house was destroyed the seed from that fruit took root, and had been growing (like herself) while she had been away. She then invited her dad back to show him the tree and they all were so happy and thankful for this wonderful surprise! I then came out of the little girls vision and into the original dream, where the little girl looked at me and told me "Hope".    I knew in my heart she was telling me not to loose hope, even when it seems all has been lost, and circumstances are totally impossible. 

  Yesterday I was sharing some of my impossible dreams I have for this year, and how it really does seem impossible, but I am not letting go of hope. However, I am letting go of trying to work it out myself by giving it all to God and knowing He is going to work out whatever needs to be. 

   While sharing this, my friend and leader told me that this is the jewish year of Jubilee. 

(Jubilee year September 23, 2015 - October 11, 2016)

And Jubilee means a year of emancipation and restoration.

   So be blessed in this year, and don't let go of Hope. This IS a year of emancipation and restoration. Even if you are in a fog of hopelessness and impossibilities, God has already promised this is the Jubilee year. God's promises reside over all impossible things, because nothing is impossible for Him. Believe in miracles, walk in Faith, and choose to have fun in the rain.