Hope Nuggets

Yes, apparently, there are such things as "hope nuggets". If you have never heard of these nuggets of hope, do not feel bad; I had not heard of them either until just recently. Until tonight, actually.

I can now add "nuggets of hope" to the list of things my mother has taught me.

As you well know, I have been feeling slightly discouraged and overwhelmed at the prospect of finding a job. It is significantly more difficult than I had anticipated. As it turns out, the whole process is truly a test of faith!

God has something out there for me, and ofttimes, God does not give us what we need until the very moment we need it (something else I learned from my mother).

Take hope nuggets, for instance.

Hope nuggets are the things that God sends us just before we have reached our wits' ends; just when we think we are going to lose our minds, our hearts, our faith....

BOOM! Hope nugget!

Except, hope nuggets do not actually arrive with a "BOOM". That is the thing about hope nuggets; they can be sneaky and subtle, so you have to really look out for them. Sometimes, you may not even know that you experienced a hope nugget until that nugget of hope has come and gone.

Tricky, I know.

Let me explain.

After making about twenty phone calls yesterday, with zero luck (on the job front, if you need clarification), I received an email from the lady who works at the very first place I applied to months ago. Of all the places I have applied, this place is definitely one of my top three pick (but don't get me wrong; I am not picky at this point!) The email was encouraging, and brought with it a certain peace, and a respite from the anxiety that I have felt recently.

I choose to believe that the email was a little reminder from God that my efforts are not totally in vain.

In other words, the email was a hope nugget that arrived just in the nick of time.... Probably about two minutes pre- nervous breakdown.

Other nuggets of hope that I got a taste of today:

1) A mother who loves me, that will help me look for a job as hard as if she were the one looking for a job! And who will inform me of the existence of hope nuggets, so that I will recognize them more promptly next time they find their way into my day.

2) A father who loves me; who sends me hope nuggets, disguised as texts. The hope nugget (disguised as my dad's text message) said (in regards to job hunting and job getting), "This is where faith, real, true faith, kicks in. If He [God] is all He claims to be, (and He is!) He's already got your situation planned."

3) A boyfriend who loves me, and who prays with and for me every single day, and with whom I was able to spend a few extra hours tonight!

The list could continue for miles, if it were not way past my bedtime already.

Now that I know that hope nuggets exist, I see them everywhere!

"We live by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1

My creator knows my name, and He knows my needs better than I do.

He's got the whole world in His hands (yes, it is okay if you just now started singing the song in your head)... even me!

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:13

"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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." - Jeremiah 29:1-14