It’s the final week of our summer book read as we prepare for the new school year to begin. My oldest son mostly reads to me to practice his oral reading skills and for mom to also keep along in the story. 😉Throughout the book we have been getting to know the character Brian and his struggles with finding his way on a deserted island after a plane crash he alone survived. His battles with finding food, the wounds he endured from the crash, fear, uncertainty, even his memories from home all circle around in his mind. He had endured with hope that he would be found and rescued though he battled thoughts of ending it at times. He had learned through much trial and error of how to build a fire so he could hopefully be spotted by an airplane flying by. But at the conclusion of this particular chapter he expressed a newfound hope.

Tough hope, he thought that night. I am full of tough hope

The Hatchet, Gary Paulsen

His original hope was being rescued so he could survive but tough hope was his new confession because he had learn to survive on his own. He built a spear weapon with his hands capturing so much fish he was well fed and no longer starving. This was one of the ways he had learned to endure and with food the primary survival need he had mastered his hope was transformed.

When I first heard my son read this I pondered and paused, tough hope. How many of us are full of hope to be rescued from something or for something not yet discovering there is a reservoir within us of tough hope to endure, to learn how to walk through, gain skills, strength, experience as we wait upon the fulfillment of a promise, a healing, or some sort of breakthrough? Could we identify with Brian in this moment reflecting on how our rescue waiting process has actually forged within us tough hope?

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Ashley Shuell, Journalist for Jesus ✍️