April Hope Whispers

God Promises

“For the Lamb on the throne
    will be their Shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.
    And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Revelations 7:17

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there will be no more death
or sorrow or crying or pain.
All these things are gone forever.”

Revelations 21:4

Out of My Hands

“So, when it feels like all of this pain is never gonna end
Brought to my knees by all of these things
I don’t understand, don’t understand
I will let the weight of my fear fall like sand
Out of my hands and into Yours
Out of my hands and into Yours

Letting go of worries I can’t measure
Holding onto truth that’s healing me
Knowing I can trust You is a treasure
With eyes wide open now I finally see…”

Hope Quotes

Hope is the silver shaft of sun breaking through the storm-darkened sky, words of comfort in the intensive care unit, the first spring bird perched on a snow-covered twig, and the finish line in sight. It is a rainbow, a song, a loving touch. Hope is knowing God and resting in His love.” ~ NLT Life Application Study Bible: Zephaniah introduction

“Only God can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony, a trial into a triumph, a victim into a victor.” ~ Fern Bernstein

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Nature Retreat

“If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity,
to the small things hardly noticeable,
those things can unexpectedly
become great and immeasurable.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~

🙂 This month I’m sharing some of my own photos. 🙂

Arrowhead Park is named after a large, arrowhead shaped granite quarry that is now a lake. It’s one of my favorite nature hangouts, and I’m looking forward to visiting it again when it’s warmer. It’s a peaceful place where nature surprises abound.

I love to imagine where seeds will end up. And it renews my longing that in my words and actions I will scatter seeds of love and kindness always.

February Hope Whispers

God Promises Us

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10

Hope Quotes

“What I needed was hope. Optimism is seeing how circumstances will get better, but hope is seeing God’s love and care in the midst of bad circumstances. Hope is the refuge in uncertainty when optimism runs dry.” ~ Bonnie Gray

“Our hope comes in Jesus, even when He doesn’t do what we want Him to do. Even when He doesn’t fix what’s broken in our life… When Jesus is with us, He’s our anchor in the rough waters of a troubled life. If we want to survive the storm we need to cling to Him like the salvation He is.” ~ Laura Story

“God has graciously, lovingly and compassionately taken each piece of the jigsaw that was pulled out and scattered. He has then placed the pieces so perfectly back to where they came from. The difference about the pieces this time is that they are much stronger, and much more refined.” ~ Francesca Price

“…I’m an empty page
I’m an open book
Write your story on my heart
Come on and make your mark
Author of my hope
Maker of the stars
Let me be your work of art
Won’t you write your story on my heart…”

Nature Is a Retreat of Hope

“There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks.
Most of the time we are simply not patient enough,

quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.”
~ Linda Hogan ~

Thank you to my brother John
for these stunning photos.
🙂 Please respect copyright laws. 🙂

Avocets
Busy Bees
Eastern Bluebirds
Eastern Bluebird
Arizona Gray Squirrels – Hey! That’s mine!
Sandhill Cranes and Duck Friends
Sandhill Crane

January Hope Whispers


This is the front flap of a card from years ago that I found recently and now use for a bookmark. We certainly need a lot of reminders that God is still in control these days, don’t we?

But GOD…
Nothing Is Too Difficult for Him!

“My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the rock and strength
of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:26

“Oh, Lord God! Behold, You Yourself
have made the heavens and the earth
by Your great power and
by Your outstretched arm! 
Nothing is too difficult for You.”
Jeremiah 32:17

Take This Out of My Hands, Lord!

“…So, when it feels like all of this pain is never gonna end
Brought to my knees by all of these things
I don’t understand, don’t understand
I will let the weight of my fear fall like sand
Out of my hands and into Yours
Out of my hands and into Yours


Take this out of my hands
Take this out of my hands
Take this out of my hands
It’s out of my hands


There ain’t nothing that You can’t handle
God, You are strong enough
Only You can take this out of my hands, out of my hands
You’re greater than all my sorrows
Worthy of all my trust
Thank You, Lord, that this is out of my hands, out of my hands…”

Nature Is a Retreat of Hope

“I love to think of nature
as an unlimited broadcasting station
through which God speaks to us every hour
if we will only tune in.”
George Washington Carver

Thank you to my brother John
for these stunning photos.
🙂 Please respect copyright laws. 🙂

White Crested Sparrows
Redhead Male Duck
Great Egret
Northern Pintail Male Ducks
Agua Caliente, Arizona
Huerfano Butte, Arizona
Do you see the holes in the rock? They were made by the Hohokam people who lived there probably around 1000 years ago. They made the holes over a long period of time to grind mesquite beans for flour.