What brings me hope

Spreading and receiving infinite hope

By Rosalind Tompkins
Special to the Outlook

 “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I was thinking about that quote the other day and the part about infinite hope resonated deep within. Hope is infinite because it is an eternal force that will remain forever along with faith and love, which is the greatest, according to 1 Corinthians 13:13 in the Bible.

The challenge is to keep the flame of hope burning bright in the face of disappointment. One of the ways that we do that in the ‘Practice of Hopeology’ is by spreading hope to others. That is a surefire way to keep hope alive. The good thing about hope is that it can be shared in infinite ways, through a song, a smile, a word of encouragement, a token of appreciation, and the list goes on and on. When we turn our focus on the needs of other people and look for ways that we can help, we can become hope for someone else.

I found this to be true in my life recently when I needed hope because I received some disappointing news that had me feeling melancholy.

My husband Kwame and I were invited to a dinner party that evening, but I did not feel like going anywhere. I decided to go, and I am glad that I did because as I spent time with friends my spirit was lifted. The outing helped me to get my hope back on track. The good food, friends, and atmosphere reminded me that hope really is just a smile away.

Here are some ways you can spread hope with others:

Volunteer by reading to children in schools.

Support missions overseas.

Give of your time, food, and money to help families in need in your community.

Write letters to and visit those incarcerated.

Post words of hope on social media.

Have hope chats and share your story of overcoming with those going through hard times.

Lend a helping hand to those in need.

Cook a meal or go to the grocery store for the elderly.

Clean up areas where there is trash, such as parks and beaches.

Spend a day with the homeless, whether on the streets or in a shelter. 

Be there for someone and show kindness and love just because.

For more information, please visit www.makeahopeconnection.com. 

Rosalind Tompkins, Ph.D., is author of “As Long As There Is Breath In Your Body, There Is Still Hope,” and other inspirational books. Tompkins is also founder of Turning Point International Church, the Chapel of Mothers In Crisis. She’s also founder of Turning Point International Alliance with ministries and churches in Pakistan, Nepal, Eswatini, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, and St. Vincent in the West Indies.