"...we see life not as it appears..."

"...but as it is: tied to a hope in a savior who promises us not the fictional white clouds and easy life, but the raw and powerful courage to bind ourselves to the joy for which we were created by the God who loves us with such an intensity that it makes our desire for our complacent lives seem as empty and hollow as a freshly dug grave."

So writes Phil Daniels about the illogical hope that belongs to Christians, a hope that he sees at play in the most recent events in Northern Ireland.

Also:

Christ gave us this awesome world and more importantly he gave us Himself so that we would never be separated from the wonder of the Something that dared to create. And it is hope that forever binds us to this other world.

We find that hope permeates who we are. It makes us more than we are. It drives us blindly to a goal "wise men" do not see. Thus I leave you with this benediction, whether you live in Northern Ireland, Cincinnati, or any place in between. Paul says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Knowing this hope is enough to make any person smile with honest happiness.

Read the whole thing.