 Welcome back! Today is Day 3 of "12 Days of HOPE" in celebration of 10 years in ministry. For this post, I want to encourage you with another one of my "first" messages about Christ being the only HOPE. Below you will find another screenshot. This one was short but impactful. It was about how we can place our hope in so many things, in error, not knowing that they can't provide what we need. I went on to talk about seeking love from others. There were times in the past (even while walking through ministry) when I sought the love and hope in others. This was a great struggle for me, and I was disappointed time and time again because, as I said back in 2015, people can't give you what they don't have. Therefore, hoping in any human can leave us empty. No, I'm not saying you can't trust your spouse or other family members and friends. We absolutely can. However, the biblical definition of "hope" is when we are confident, secure, and without care (according to Job 6:20 and Psalm 16:9). There is no doubt attached to this kind of hope, which means our true, complete hope should be in Christ alone. Again, yes there are some instances when we are confident and secure (to a degree) in others, including our family, but the only one who can provide such security is the LORD alone. Only God can keep such unwavering promises. That's too much pressure on our loved ones anyway. They are humans like us. They are limited. They are not our saviors, Christ is. When we all are weak, He alone can hold us up in His strength (according to 2 Corinthians 12:9-11). Today, my hope in Christ is even greater than it was at the start of Hope in Christ. He has been faithful and has proving himself over and over. I challenge you to do the same. Say to yourself, "It's the Living Hope for me." But don't just say, try Him, and I promise you He will deliver. I put this phrase on a t-shirt as a reminder a few years ago. Check out the other image below. #Be Blessed and Hope in Christ!  
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 Hope is often discovered in the very places we least expect it. For me, hope was born in a season of deep childhood pain. Around the age of seven, my life was shaken when both my mother and father fell into drug addiction. My mother would disappear for days at a time, leaving my siblings and me confused, scared, and wondering what we had done wrong. Each time she left, my grandmother would come and get us, trying her best to hold our world together. As a child, I internalized everything. I thought my mother didn’t want me. And for anyone who knows me, they know how much I love my mother. I would have lived anywhere on this planet as long as she was with me. So her absence felt like rejection, abandonment, and heartbreak. What I did not understand then was that my mother was fighting a battle for her life—a battle against bondage and spiritual warfare that was far bigger than me. Her struggle wasn’t a reflection of my worth; it was a reflection of her pain. But God has a way of using broken places as the birthplace of destiny. During this time, my grandmother consistently took us to church. It was there, in those pews and Sunday school classrooms, that I first learned about the love of God and the tactics of the enemy. I started reading the Word on my own, searching for comfort and answers. One day, I came across a verse that changed everything: “When my mother and my father forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” That Scripture became a lifeline for me. It didn’t erase the hurt overnight, but it shifted something in me. I began to see God as the one who filled every empty space—Father, Mother, Protector, and Guide. Slowly, the wounds in my heart began to heal. What I once saw as abandonment, I started to see as the very soil where God was planting purpose. The pain that tried to break me ended up birthing ministry within me. By the time I turned thirteen, I had developed a habit of taking my fears, emotions, and questions to God in worship and prayer. Those intimate moments became my refuge. It was there—on my knees, in quiet rooms, with tears and whispers—that God started to speak to me. He gave me dreams and visions, showing me glimpses of the calling on my life. As my pastor began teaching about hearing God’s voice, I realized that the Lord had been guiding me long before I ever understood what was happening. Looking back now, I see that the enemy tried to destroy me early—but God used the very thing meant to break me as the foundation for my purpose. What began as childhood trauma became the training ground for intercession, compassion, and ministry. My journey reminds me daily that no matter how deep the pain, God is deeper still. And if you let Him, He will take what wounded you and turn it into the very thing that grows you.
 Welcome back to the blog! Today is Day 2 of "12 Days of HOPE" in celebration of 10 years in ministry. For this post, I wanted to share a word of inspiration about the power of prayer. Over the years, prayer has been essential in my life and in my ministry. Below I have shared a screenshot of one of the post from the start of the blog. As you can see, I had a prayer wall back then where I would go into my bedroom closet and pray. I would take note cards and write out prayer request and put them on the cork boards. This helped me a lot back then. Today, I don't use this method anymore, but I still pray without ceasing. I have a planner now where I list those in need of prayer. Now, as an ordained minister of the gospel, I have spent many days praying and even teaching on the power of prayer. In addition, God led me to create a few prayer resources for others to use. Prayer is never an option for believers, not just for our goals and aspirations, but we must continually pray and listen for direction from the Lord. This will keep us walking in His will and not our own. I would even say "listening" is even more vital than speaking in prayer. Why? Because God already knows our hearts and our concerns. However, we have to become disciplined in the area of listening. What ever you do, don't ever allow prayer to become nonessential in your life. I can tell you first hand, "God hears, and He answers. Through my prayer life, I have learned the following:
In closing, keep praying. He is the living God, and He hears. #Be Blessed and Hope in Christ!   Thank you again for celebrating this milestone with me. As I begin the celebration, I want to be the first to share my journey to Christ. Oh, what a journey it has been! I was at my lowest, wallowing in deep depression and low self esteem. That is where the LORD met me. I remember the day as if it was yesterday. I knew something needed to change. It all started when my husband and I moved over to Orlando, FL from my hometown. We both needed a change. We had gone through one of the hardest experiences of our lives, the loss of our first child. I miscarried after 5 weeks. That day changed my life. Prior to that time, I struggled with depression because of the other troubles I walked through in my younger years, but this took me into a deeper place of despair. I cried day in and day out, so we came to the decision to start fresh somewhere else, in a place where there weren’t so many bad memories. After our relocation, I was searching for someone to care for my hair, but God was setting me up for His redemption. I drove around this new city until I came to what seemed like a good place to stop and ask questions about hair care. I walked inside and noticed a woman staring at me. This was the beginning of my transformation. I became uncomfortable because the woman continued to stare. She then said, “God is going to bless you with a miracle. You will have a child.” I was stunned wondering, How does she know that I was told I could possibly never have more children? She couldn’t have known, but God knew. After that, the hair dresser told me she could take care of my hair, and so I stayed. That day changed my life. I shared with the beautician my struggles over the years, and she shared one phrase with me, “Want God more than you want anything else in this life.” I sat pondering her words and saying in my heart, I never knew I wanted something or someone more than You, God. On my way home, I continued to think about the words the woman shared. I then began to weep, asking God to show me how to draw near to Him. I wanted more. I needed more. There was no where else to turn. No one else knew, nor understood my pain, and no one else had the answer. NO ONE! Once I returned to the privacy of our apartment, I was relieved because I continued to weep. The LORD met me there. In my tears. In my sorrow. In my pain. He was ready to heal and deliver me bit by bit. And so He did. I grabbed my dusty Bible off of my bookshelf, and He led me to Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” This caused me to weep even more because those words let me know that He was and is real, and He knows all things. You see, I hadn't read the Bible much prior to that day, but God spoke to me through it. He knew the "all things" for me was becoming a mother, but I didn't know the "all things" I needed was Him. My heart was shattered, and Christ was the mender of it. He then, at 24 years old, led me to surrender my life to His will, and so I did. I thanked Him for His presence in my life and the love I felt in my heart on that day. I didn't know what was next, but I knew there had to be more. Three years later!!!! Did you hear me? Three years later, he resurrected my womb. Where the doctors said, "No," God said, "Not so!" My husband and I were blessed with the miracle of our son, and the rest, as they say, is history. I've never looked back...only forward, not because of the miracle, but because He is the only truth, and I know that now. I've drawn to the only HOPE there is, Christ, our LORD. He established His purpose in me and has led me into 10 years of His ministry, "taking the message of the cross to the world." It ain't over. Yes, I said "ain't." Why? Because He is still on the throne! #Be blessed and HOPE in Christ
 Thank you for stopping by the blog! Today I will begin a "12 Days of HOPE" in celebration of 10 years in ministry. On 12/20/2025, Hope in Christ will celebrate 10 years in ministry. To lead up to that amazing day, there will be guest bloggers sharing their testimonies of how they came to hope in Christ. I will also share my 10 year journey and what other visions God has given me for this ministry. Below you will find a screenshot of the very first post. This was the day I officially launched the HOPE in Christ blog. I remember it as if it was yesterday. God had led me from writing my own devotions offline. I had written these pieces as the LORD walked me through my healing journey. I was terrified to release them to the public, but God impressed it upon my heart to help others who needed to heal as well. I remember praying about the title of the blog. God said, "Hope-in-Christ. I thought it was simple enough, but little did I know it was more complex than I could have imagined. You see, this was just the beginning. The LORD knew He could only give it to me bit by bit because I would have ran away. Where? I'm not sure, but I would have tried. From day one, Hope-in-Christ's mission has been to take the message of the cross to the world, and over the past 10 years, He has graced me to do just that. To date, HOPE-in-Christ Ministries has shared the message of the cross in 198 countries and counting through radio and podcast. I have made many connections internationally and continue to share the word as God leads. I am especially thankful for the connection with DORM Ministries International under the leadership of my amazing mentor Apostle Derashay, the Kingdom Strategist. With her help, God has guided me into areas I never thought I would walk. In addition, I have authored 12 books, written for magazines, and co-authored anthologies, sharing the message of the cross through women's Christian fiction, young adult fiction, and creating nonfiction resources to assist others with understanding God's word more. Finally, I have been blessed to speak at many venues to different audiences over the years as the message has remained in my heart and will continue. I'm so grateful He entrusted me with this vision, and I look forward to you all celebrating God's grace with me. Stay tuned!   Redefining Self-Care: Many think of self-care as spa days, getaways, or finding “me-time.” But biblical self-care isn’t just about pampering—it’s about nurturing our souls, so we can be spiritually whole in Christ.
Anchor Scripture: "Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul" (3 John 1:2). True self-care is soul-care, and it begins with Christ. It begins with R.E.S.T.(ing) in Him. Why Soul-Care Matters?
When we care for our souls, we stay rooted in God’s presence and are better equipped to handle life. Let's take a look at an acronym to help us remember how to do soul-care. Practical Ways to Care for Your Soul: Tell yourself, I must R.E.S.T and for Soul-Care... R – I must realize that I am no good for anyone else if I am running on empty. In what areas do I feel empty or depleted, and I need soul-care? E – I must establish a time for soul care. Where can I add time? S – Seek God’s face and guidance for spiritual healing, wisdom, and direction in all areas of your life. He knows how long this will take as well. Write these instructions down and implement them right away. Finally, Say “NO” to whatever God instructs, and mean it. Ways to do this? a) Prayer: Your Lifeline to God
Closing: That's it. Feel free to use REST acronym, and share it with someone. Let's shift from self care the world's way and move to soul care. We should never spend more time caring for our physical bodies more than our souls. Our souls are precious to God. When we care for them, we align with His will and live from a place of overflow, which causes us to move forward in all He has placed in our hands. Challenge: This week, choose one new practice I shared and do it for at least 15-30 minutes. Come back to this post and leave a comment about how it helped you. Always remember, "He restores my soul…” (Psalm 23:3). We can't do it ourselves. Be blessed and Hope in Christ! Denise M. Walker  There are times when we are caught off guard by the things or circumstances in our lives. It seems like storms of life come out of nowhere and come crashing like thunder or the waves of a flood. Be assured that absolutely nothing is a surprise to God. God knows the present and the future because he planned it! The Bible says that even before we were born, God knew all our futures. “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16 NIV). Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) encourages us to hold on to hope, “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. While we may feel blindsided by an unexpected event or unforeseen circumstance, oh…think it not strange. According to 1Peter 4:12 -13 (KJV) “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” The Message Bible says, “This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.” Not only does God know the events and things that will happen, He also knows us. He knows our behaviors, our thoughts, and actions and yet he still loves us anyway! God knows how we will react, much like our natural parents it doesn’t change how he feels toward us. We can look to Psalm 139:1-4 (NIV) for assurance “1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” How do we know he still loves us despite us? If we had only one or two scripture truths, they would be John 3:16-17(NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” In addition, we can stand on Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. As we go about our daily lives knowing that trouble will come, it will not last forever. We know that in our humanity it may get difficult, don’t get weary and don’t give up in the middle of your storm. God is right there with you and will carry you through. Remember His promises are Yes and Amen as it is written in 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” God’s Yes and Amen mean so be it or let it be so. It leaves no room for doubt, an expression of our trust in God’s faithfulness. It is a way of acknowledging our faith in His character and our willingness to trust Him. If God said it then we can believe it, stand on it, have faith and hope in it. Minister Pamela Johnson January 2024  Pamela Nance Johnson is a lover of Christ, an author, a minister, and entrepreneur. Pamela enjoys sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to those she encounters day by day. She also loves lifting up a praise to our Lord and Savior through song. Follow Pamela on Facebook @PamelaNanceJohnson.
 As a little girl, somehow I knew there was something greater than I! I remember finding a corner in our apartment, and I would go and pray to Santa. At that time, I thought Santa was real. I believed he could fix the things I was going through. I remember one time asking him to allow me to see my dad. I didn't want toys. I wanted things in my life to be better. As I got older, I came to realize that Christ is the one who answers prayers. God used some awesome women of God to lead me to life in Him. Today, I felt led to remind you that Christ is the only road to life! No matter how the world changes, we must stand on this truth. There were many days I did not realize I was walking in darkness. Then one day, God led me to life, and I have not turned back. Here's my prayer for today: "Dear LORD, I am so grateful that I am not who I was. Thank You for meeting me on the road of life and calling me to Yourself. I love You, Jesus. I long to love You even more. Father God You brought me out of a dark past. You have protected my life from an infant and I thank you! Fill me with YOUR power and anoint me afresh. Help me never to turn back to the world. Help me to go deeper in YOU. No more deception, all truth which is only found in YOU. In Jesus name, Amen!" I pray that this post blessed you today. Also, below is a song by David Crowder to uplift you! Only seek His truth! Be blessed! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0oUqrqYv30 #Hope-in-Christ Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Project H.O.P.E. Ministries, Inc.  But God…! There are two very simple words that are life changing. They sum up the glory of salvation in an extremely concise, yet powerful way. To understand why the words “But God” are so significant, we must first understand how hopeless our condition was without God. Look at how Paul expresses our lives before God in Ephesians: 21-6 “It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah” [The Message Bible]. What an awful, hopeless picture. We weren’t just sort of dead in our trespasses and sins. We weren’t mostly dead with some hope of bringing ourselves back to life. We were completely and totally dead with no hope of ever having spiritual life. Because we were born with a wicked, sinful nature, the wrath of God was upon us from the moment we were born; “Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble” [King James Version]. To say that we were in bad shape spiritually speaking is an understatement. We were in hopeless shape. There was absolutely NO way we could be saved by our own strength. Someone had to intervene on our behalf. We were in desperate need of God. We needed those amazing words, “But God.” The Good News is that what is impossible for man, is not impossible for God. When God shows up, you never know what might happen. And something wonderful indeed did happen. Christ died for us when we were still sinners. As it says in Romans 5:7” For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Maybe a person might be willing to die for a righteous man. But God isn’t like us. God demonstrated His own love for all of us by sending Christ Jesus to die for our sins on the cross. As it says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” [KJV]. We were dead in our sins, but God gave us new life in Him. We were hopeless until the Lord rescued us. We were willing slaves of Satan, but God set us free. As it is written in John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” [KJV]. But God. The words, “But God,” truly do change everything. Once we were enemies of God. Now we are seated at his table as his children. Once we were slaves to sin. Now we have been set free from sin and can pursue righteousness and holiness. Once we were members of the kingdom of darkness. Now we are Kingdom citizens of heaven and joint heirs with Jesus. To be saved by God is truly a marvelous thing, isn’t it? If God had not saved us, we would be destined to hell. If God had not rescued us, we would have no hope. Now that we have this new life, new hope, and freedom, what should we do? Let’s look to Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” [New International Version]. The message of Micah is still pertinent today. Religious rituals, no matter how extravagant, can never make up for a lack of love. Outward appearances to following God’s instructions are not as important in God’s eyes as a humble heart that simply does what is right. God’s people today must continue to desire justice, mercy, and humility before the Lord. Minister Pamela Nance Johnson   As I was reading 2 Kings chapter 6, one thing stood out to me. Elisha was a man of great faith! In verse 11, the Syrian king sent horses and chariots and a great army to Dothan to attack prophet Elisha and prophet Elisha responded as a man walking by faith in relationship with the Father. The verses that follow reveal his trust.
Scripture: 2 Kings 6:15-18 NKJV And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he (Elisha) answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. After reading these verses, I wondered, "Am I believing God for everything in my life as Elisha? These words show that Elisha had a close relationship with God, and He walked with Him. He had faith and believed that God was who He said He was even in the presence of danger. He also prayed for his servant to see as he saw. Elisha was a great example of contagious faith. As Elisha, how can we trust God more? How can we depend upon the Creator with everything that concerns us? 1. Give Him our whole heart. We don't realize what has our hearts until He begins to show us. He commands our worship. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus said, Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." 2. Read and trust that His word is the only truth. Romans 10:17 reminds us of this, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." 3. Begin to go to God in prayer with every aspect of our lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 reminds us of this very thing, "pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Be Blessed! #hope-in-Christ Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Project H.O.P.E. Ministries, Inc. Bible Verses from New King James Version were found on Bible Gateway. |
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