Hope...is a good thing

Sunday morning (10:30am), January 5th Catherine will share Battley's testimony of hope at our church FBCJ Madison Campus.  Please come or tell someone you know if they might want to hear a condensed story of Battley's life and our hope for her.

Because I'm a whimp when it comes to speaking, Catherine is stepping up Sunday.  I've recently started thinking about hope and what I might say from a man's perspective if speaking (on-stage).

Prison movies are "movies for guys who like movies".  Escape From Alcatraz, Cool Hand Luke and Shawshank Redemption are some of my favorites.  Most men have probably seen Shawshank Redemption as it airs on TNT at least once every two months.  BTW it was nominated for seven academy awards.

When Catherine and I discovered our unborn daughter had this chromsonal abnormaity, incompatible with life, we needed hope.  However sometimes the statistics and even doctors offered little hope.  It's like we were surrounded by stone walls and Red was telling us, "Hope is a dangerous thing. It will drive you insane".

Well we had hope and found more hope.  Much of what Battley has endured is miraculous and is a direct answer to prayer.

Fast foward to the day we discovered Battley was not in heart failure.  Can you remember Red reading Andy's letter where he says "Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.  And no good thing ever dies"?

Well, when Andy finally greets Red on the beach in Mexico...this is how I feel everyday when I come home from work and scoop up Battley into my arms.