Hope - what we must keep and teach

I'm an army brat. My story is of the few who broke out of the cycle where many men and women join the army not out of choice.

I grew up my entire life where my Dad and Mom would tell about my choices and limitations. They would tell me that I couldn't do that or do this. My Mom in particular would tell me "why" with rationalization of the situation or circumstance or background like a typical German. I remember I wanted to stop playing the trumpet in high school. I wanted to play sports and especially basketball because that was the popular sport. And my Dad would say "no, I got into college on a music scholarship and so will you." I was only 5'6". So I had to stay in band classes. My Mom would say "son, that's good because it's important to stay active but Germans don't really play basketball well and we're (our family) not an athletic nor big people." But, I kept playing basketball and I became great at defense at the end of my 8th grade. This help me to be a respected player in 9th grade and then my coach gave me a chance and taught me all about form. In 10th grade to everyone's surprise, I grew 6 inches in one year. I towered over my family. From there, I became a pretty good basketball player and to this day I swear if I had all my years in a State-side high school, I would have gotten a football scholarship (not basketball because I'm more talented at soccer and football, and I'm smart enough to know that).

My parents, and even my family, were discouragers. They were hope-killers. It's what they were taught growing up and naturally it's what they were teaching. I, myself, am guilty of it until my wife educated me. Yet, when I read about the lives of these leaders in the Civil Rights era and even in the Bible of the greatest characters, they NEVER lowered their expectations. They never lost hope.

They already had faith in God. For some, it was how they grew up. They already knew about the importance of love. For some, the struggle was more so on who to love because people are people.

I could easily spin out a couple verses, but that's not what this is about. It's about being like Jesus. And he never gave up hope. And he never killed someone else's either. Some won't see it (envision it). Some won't understand (the why or the how). But I thank God for the slaves who fought for their freedom in this country - all because they held onto their hope.

I pray that you, too, will keep your eyes on the prize and stay hopeful.