When my friend, Karen, and I discovered our mutual love for Hallmark Countdown to Christmas, we decided to enjoy the Friday night movies together leading up to Christmas. Thoughtfully, Karen bought me one of her favorite candles from a local artisan to celebrate our first movie night. Upon lighting it, I instantly fell in love with the scent and now associate it with our Hallmark get-togethers. Since we must wait almost 9 months (come-on baby!) for the next Countdown to Christmas, her gift has taken on a new purpose… a purpose infused with HOPE.
Since most of you know I am a professional organizer, I am sure you are absolutely SHOCKED to find I have a daily morning routine. My day is not complete without a jumpstart from God. After making my coffee and starting the fireplace in our study, I settle into my favorite comfy chair and dive into my devotionals. There is something soothing about starting my day with God. It settles my type A soul, opening my heart and mind to hear His Word. And… Karen’s candle gift of HOPE is now an integral part of my morning ritual.
While candles used to be the only source of light for a home, they take on less of a purposeful role and more of a fragrant one today. In Matthew 5:6… one of my favorite verses… God tells us to, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Karen’s candle acts as a personal reminder that God calls me to shine my divine inspired light to those around me daily. We must not only share our shimmer but shine our light in a way that glorifies God; bringing a ray of heaven’s light of HOPE to earth. Whether God’s HOPE shimmers on earth in the form of a smile or hug, text or call, meal or fragrant gift… God’s light and HOPE can be shared in as many forms as there are candle scents.
Speaking of scents… we all have our favorites, those scents that spark memories and enhance our mood with a twinkle of HOPE. Personally, I am a cinnamon and cloves girl and love all things berries and cherries... separately, of course. Whether you love all things citrus or prefer florals, our favs bring calm to our soul and ignite a sense of HOPE. Just thinking of Karen’s candle floods my soul with peace, joy, HOPE, and… Hallmark. That’s a bunch of HOPE power packed into a favorite candle scent!
The light, the scent, and familiarity of a daily routine within a comfortable space infuses an atmosphere of peace as I sink into God’s Word of HOPE each day. This ambiance of HOPE inspires me to hear His HOPE as I read and apply His Words of HOPE to my life. Being immersed in a space of HOPE that touches all my senses enables me to feed my soul and share His light with those I connect with daily.
I encourage you to build His Word of HOPE into your daily routine by creating an area of HOPE that shimmers and glimmers, infuses and diffuses, soothes and settles, cozies and comforts… offering you a space of HOPE to be fed with HOPE. Your HOPE space doesn’t have to be massive… it doesn’t even have to be a room. Your HOPE space may be a corner or even a closet. Wherever you can carve out your little space of HOPE, make sure it is filled with things you love… free of things you don’t. Fill it with a comfy chair or pillows, add ample lighting, and include a basket/bin of your favorite devos and Bible. Last, but certainly not least, complete your sacred space with a candle that offers a glimmer of HOPE while filling the space with a divine inspired fragrance… one that is your very own.
Be filled with HOPE… to be energized by HOPE… to bring HOPE to others. As we are filled with HOPE inspired from within our HOPE place, we can find HOPE in all things outside of our HOPE space. When you have a space infused with HOPE, you empower your soul with HOPE to diffuse HOPE to those around you. The people you connect with daily will feel your HOPE and be filled with HOPE, making our world a fragrant world infused with the aroma of HOPE.
Sign up your Christian service business today and refer your favorite church: www.christianhomehopeconnection.com
Teach your children to GO The Smile Mile: Amazon.com: The Smile Mile: 9781512744255: Stuart, Hope L.: Book