Sam Roberts

My reason for hope is belonging to the God who sees me and is present in my suffering.

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The start of 2025 would mark one of the hardest years of my life as I unexpectedly lost my sister, who was just 41 years old. It was challenging to truly exercise the faith I had professed. So much of this season carried many hard decisions that I never thought I would have to make for my sister and her children, yet God saw me and continued to show up and give me everything I needed. He gave me the strength to make tough decisions, provided for every need, and comforted me in the deep pain of loss. Even in all of that, I was fearful about what the future held, especially in a family dynamic that had already been so challenging. It led me to a place of despair, feeling that family will forever be a source of difficult circumstances.

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The Lord would soon show me, through His Word and His people, that in my place of despair, I lacked hope. Hope in not only the power of God in what He was able to do, but also the presence of God in that He would be with me in all that was to come. Over time, as I looked to Him, I was reminded not only of who He is, but who He is to me, that He sees me, and is FOR me, and will be WITH me. I could slowly feel my heart fill with hope again. Another reason for my hope is knowing that in my suffering I am seen and am not alone.

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"For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." - Romans 8:24-25