One Ringing Bell: When the springs of hope and winters of despair collide

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

When the springs of hope and winters of despair collide

The last few days have brought to mind those familiar words from English writer, Charles Dickens. ”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . . “ But the rest of the quote may not be so familiar, “ . . . it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. “

News of the senseless shootings of eight students and two teachers in a Texas school on Friday pierced our hearts. Then, less than a day later, the gaze of the world turned to a chapel in England for a fairytale wedding as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed.

Heartbreak.

Sweethearts.

The extremities in this life have the potential to give us whiplash. Charles Dickens was a literary great, but I’m thankful that we have more than a commentary in man’s words. When the springs of hope and winters of despair collide―we have a God who does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). I am grateful in these tumultuous times for the constancy of One who brings light in the midst of darkness and hope in the center of despair.

Our hearts ache for those families in Texas who have lost beloved ones and our prayers go up for healing for those touched by this tragedy. We also pray for a new royal couple that as they spoke their vows before God, they would trust Him to help them fulfill the bright hopes they have to affect change in the world . . . in the “best of times” and in the “worst of times.”

When the springs of hope and winters of despair collide―we have a God who does not change. (click to tweet)

Remember Faith in the Fashion District is now available for presale at many online retailers.

“As a Ford model during the 1980’s, the New York fashion world was my world. Beverly’s encouraging stories of how God moved in that sphere help us realize that no matter where we are— even on Seventh Avenue—God wants to use us for His glory.”

Nancy Stafford

Actress (“Matlock”), Speaker, and Author

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About Bev

Beverly Varnado is an award winning novelist,
screenwriter, and blogger. Her screenplay, Give
My Love to the Chestnut Trees, has been a finalist for the Kairos Prize and is now under option with Elevating Entertainment Motion Pictures. Her novels are Home to Currahee and Give My Love to the Chestnut Trees, which placed in the top ten for Christian Writer's Guild Operation First Novel. Her blog, One Ringing Bell, is now in its
seventh year with almost seven hundred posts. Her work has been featured on World Magazine Radio, The Upper Room Magazine, and she was recently featured in Southern Distinctions Magazine as one of seventeen authors writing about Georgia.
Find out more at www.BeverlyVarnado.com

Why "One Ringing Bell?"

From Ezekiel 28:33-35, "Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers." The pomegranates symbolize the word of God and the bells, the going forth of that word. As the sound of the bells was heard when the priest, Aaron, ministered, my desire is to ring out the word wherever and whenever possible--to be "One Ringing Bell."