About a year and half ago I got a tattoo on my elbow that says ελπίζω: "I hope." When I got it, I new it meant something, but I had no idea the magnitude or the reality of those two small words. As God continues to reveal Himself to me, piece by piece, I recognize the travesty, the horror, the injustice, the sickness, the pain, the hopelessness that I have been saved from. Now please understand that I am not saying that I will not still experience all these things, because I undoubtedly will. The catch, however, is that I will not experience them for eternity. I have a hope. I have a hope that when I die, all the sufferings and plights that I experience in this world will perish in sight of the reality of Jesus Christ. Christ has saved me from hopelessness. He has saved me from meaninglessness. He has saved me from slavery to sin and imprisoned me in love and hope and eternal peace.

I will hope continually

and will praise you yet more and more.

My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all the day.

-Psalm 71:14-15