Meet Alix Emerson

Often in our Christian walks, we look backward and see what Christ has redeemed us from, but we sometimes lose sight that God redeemed us for a future. As believers, we can hope in future glory with God solely because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Solomon speaks to the reason we search for a future, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Even though we are in this earthly valley now, God has placed in our hearts the idea of FOREVER with Him.

As Christians, we can boldly hope in something infinitely bigger and better than everything in this valley. When I was young, my mom always told my sisters and me when we encountered disappointment or sadness that “in the scheme of eternity, it just doesn’t matter.” I’ll admit that we would often roll our eyes and completely disregard what Mom was saying, but she was right. My mom had real hope in the unseen and knew that in this earthly valley, eternity with Christ was all that mattered.

Even though I know the truths that God has created me in His image, that He has put eternity in my heart, and that one day Jesus will return and reveal His glory to the world, I have hoped in seen, earthly things. I hoped that multiple degrees would bring me wealth. I hoped that “important” jobs would bring me respect. I hoped that relationships would bring me joy. Needless to say, all of these hopes ended in disappointment. My earthly hopes turned out to be “broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13c) But the Lord has never failed me. He will always be my only hope in this valley. Although I can’t see Him now, and His plan is often very blurry, He is my strength in the waiting; and His Spirit gives me patience, even when I have none.