“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

When God speaks of hope it comes with the reality that there is a struggle within us or around us. If there were no struggle why would we need hope? As Christ followers in recovery, we start to see the hope God offers when we admit our powerlessness over our deficiencies. Struggle to quit, struggle to change, and the struggle to fix ourselves can lead us down the path of despair and hopelessness. Where do we go when there is nowhere else to go? I hope you go to Jesus; He is the Light, the Truth, and the Way. The book of Jeremiah is about a prophet that repeatedly warns the Kings of Israel that the country is in decline, falling deeper and deeper into sin, yet no one is listening to what he has to say. They ignore and ridicule him; leaving Jeremiah angry, discouraged, and wondering if being a prophet of God is worth it. There was a time I had not listened; wasting away in a pool of denial, living a life of fear, unable to fight off the forces of evil in my life and the world around me. But, God listens to our cries and understands our mess. In Jeremiah, God tells us that a Messiah is coming and we will be made “right” through Him. God has a plan for our life and it’s better than any plan we can come up with. He doesn’t say the plan will be easy or without struggle, but He does say we will prosper and He will offer all the hope we need for a better future, an everlasting life with Him. We need to believe! When we ask Jesus into our hearts, we are reborn into a new relationship with God. Turning our will over to His care is where the spiritual struggle of character building is played out. If we are to live a life like Jesus, there is daily opportunity to reach out to Him and believe He has a bigger plan for us then our immediate circumstances would indicate. Our God is a God of second chances, a God that rescues, a God that says, “do not fear,” a God that says, “trust me—I have a plan and a future for you; put your hope in me.”

“I am with you always.” Matthew 28:20

God loves you; Jesus died for you; His spirit lives in you! Say Yes to Jesus! Dana Cramer // Celebrate Recovery at Crossroads