Hope Shared = Hope Multiplied

Have you ever bought or been given a piece of jewelry that just becomes a constant part of your life? If you're married your wedding ring is your constant companion. And if you're like me, you can't live without a watch on your arm! Sometimes we get other pieces of jewelry that for one reason or another are special to us. I have several. A locally crafted gold bracelet. A gold nugget cross pendant from my husband. And and a necklace that has a pearl and a silver plate with the word "HOPE" stamped on it. Let me tell you the story of the necklace.

For a long time now HOPE has been one of my favorite words. The word itself means "a feeling that what is wanted will happen".

Several years ago my friend Felesha, who is also the Director of the Sav-A-Life pregnancy center where I volunteer, asked if I would speak for five minutes on the topic "Why I Serve as a Volunteer at Sav-A-Life". For several days I pondered this question without being able to come up with a clear answer. Then one night a single four letter word came to me as the answer....HOPE. That's why I work there. To be able to give hope to those who may feel they have lost it. Because we are a Christian organization I'm also able to share the gospel with them which is the greatest Hope there is! I know that even though I went to church regularly from the time I was born it was not until I was about twenty-five that I came to trust Jesus Christ as my Saviour. Before then...even though I may have looked like a good person....I was "without Christ,....having no hope, and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2: 12) It's not our goodness that saves us...it's His grace.

After that Terri...who is Assistant Director (sorry Terri, I can't remember your real title!)...gave me a little wall plaque with HOPE on it. Later she also gave me a beautiful little Willow Tree Angel whose name was "Angel of Hope". Then one day she handed me a little gift box and when I opened it, there lay a beautiful silver chain with a pearl and the word HOPE on a silver plate. I loved that necklace! I wore it often! For over a year I wore it and every time it reminded me of the Hope we have in Christ.

I wore it until a couple of weeks ago. January 22 to be exact. My sister Leola was in the ICU at the Tupelo hospital and my husband and I had gone down to spend most of the day there with my nieces. When I was putting the necklace on as I got dressed to go it seemed the Lord was saying to me..."Give this to Vicki". (One of Leola's daughters) I remember thinking to myself..."No, Lord....not THIS necklace! Not my HOPE necklace!" It was tempting to take it off and leave it at home! :) But I didn't and as the day wore on at the hospital, I knew it no longer belonged to me but to my niece Vicki. As I was getting ready to say my goodbyes for the day I told Vicki I had something for her. Then I took the necklace off my neck and put it on hers. I told her that it said, "HOPE". She smiled through teary eyes and replied, "That's what we need!" I hugged her and as I left the hospital I felt a sense of peace knowing I had done what God had put on my heart to do. My sister passed away in less than 48 hours after that.

On Monday I stopped by Sav-A-Life for something and confessed to Terri that I had given away my Hope necklace and told her I hoped she would not be mad at me. She said that of course she wasn't...and that I had not given my HOPE away because it would never leave me! And she was right! On Thursday I came in to work. I had been there quite a while and had seen at least one client when Felesha took a small beautifully wrapped package from her desk and said simply..."This is for you!" Having not the least idea what was inside, I opened it. You can guess what it was! Yes! Another Hope necklace! What sweet, sweet friends I have!

(Terri and Felesha....my partners in HOPE at Sav-A-Life!)

HOPE....it's such a short little word....but it means so much to so many! "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose HOPE the LORD is." (Jeremiah 17: 7)

So it just seems to me that when Hope is shared......then Hope is multiplied! Share your Hope today with someone!

Marilyn