The Patriot Post® · Without Hope

Before I retired from Teen Challenge, one of our supporters called me about speaking. This was nothing new, until he told me where. He informed me he was enrolled in an MBA degree program at the University of Tennessee — Chattanooga.

He wanted me to speak to two classes on “leadership.” I paused for a moment and laughed. I told him that, technically, I was only a high school graduate. I had a few credits in Criminology but had never had time to get a college degree.

He said: “You’ve been in leadership in the military, in business, and now in ministry. We want you to talk on your experiences in leadership.” I agreed to it, but I was pretty nervous until I arrived at the classroom. As I walked in, two students who were to share first were preparing their PowerPoint titled, “The Leadership Style of Bob Marley.” My anxiety vanished instantly! I had a very low bar to hurdle over.

I discussed abuses and strengths of various leaders in all three fields of my experience. Then I gave my opinion of the current deficit of leadership in nearly every institution in the country. I said starting back with the election of Bill Clinton, we have exchanged character and integrity in our elected officials for personality and charisma. The choices we make as voters has had a devastating impact on government as we can clearly see in the current administration.

During the Q&A time, someone asked me to describe/profile the average person who came into Teen Challenge, a faith-based program for those with severe addictions. I explained there was no profile of those who came to us. Our residents were from every background, ethnic group, social/economic status, and religion.

However, I did offer one difference. By the time they arrived at our door, they were hopeless. They had lost hope of ever conquering their addiction. Today looked like yesterday and tomorrow looks no different than today. When a person has lost hope, they have lost everything!

I see this happening today in our country. Many conservatives and Christians I know seem to have lost hope. They’re overwhelmed by everything they see that never changes. Politicians commit crimes and are never punished. Media elites lie habitually with no pushback. The legal system has been corrupted to the point that politicians can use it to destroy the lives of their opponents without any consequences.

I could write several posts listing the many examples of this. But if you’re a regular reader of The Patriot Post, you already know what they are. I know what it’s like to be without hope. I had no hope lying critically wounded in Vietnam. I had no hope living with PTS and alcoholism, reliving Vietnam every night for four and a half years.

But there is hope. And His name is Jesus. He is our only hope individually, and He is the only hope for America. Politics will never make America better. But a spiritual renewal that changes the hearts of men and women of every background can give you hope. I know because I’m living proof that God changes the heart!

America has had two Great Awakenings that came when we, as a nation, were facing hopeless situations. They shook the nation down to our very godly foundation. Washington, DC, has no answers. But the God who has guided America’s destiny since the Pilgrims landed on our shores still offers hope today. Never give up hope!

Something to pray about!