Even when all feels lost, it is not. That is just your feeling. You can cultivate hope! “Once you choose hope, anything is possible,” said Christopher Reeve, best known for his role as “Superman”. You can choose and cultivate hope!

You don't have to trust in the power of you. The apostle Paul said, "We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! (2 Cor. 8-11).

Find hope in the unexpected: the laughter of children; a smile shared; nature. Hope can be found in small little places. "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." (Eph. 3:20-21).

Cultivating optimism supports the growth of hope. Optimism will give you a higher quality of life and better physical and mental health according to scientific research. Practicing gratitude can also foster hope. Good things can happen, but you can choose not to be grateful. Jesus healed ten lepers. Only ONE returned to Jesus to give thanks.

You may feel life can't get better. But it can. Use your imagination. Think about what is possible with God on your side! Remember, the God who created the universee lives in you and makes His Home in you!

Bless others. Give without expecting anything in return. But God will pay you back for the love you show. "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped" (Proverb s 11:25).

When you feel hopeless, take time for yourself. Love yourself as you desire to love others. Eat right. Sleep. Exercise. Get out of the dark and into The Light.

Hope will return - even if you don't know how it will. Paul says, "I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God’s power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else" (1 Cor. 2:3-5).