My Hope

"YOUR Hope," What do you hope for most in your journey with Headaches or Migraines? Please share with us about what you hope for and why.

What I hope for most in my journey with Migraines is my life hope / goal: 

To faithfully follow God, allowing Him to work in and through me wherever I am and however He desires.

My life doesn't look the way I ever imagined. Chronic pain, especially chronic disabling pain, wasn't part of my life plan. But, life continues on, and I choose to participate in whatever capacity I'm able.

Regarding Migraine, I hope to improve my quality of life by continuing to learn, cope, share, grow. I want to make a difference... 

To help advocate for myself and others.
To help others know that they're not alone.
To help disseminate information about Migraine and other headache disorders.
To help raise awareness, educate others, reduce stigma, and increase funding for research. 

The Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) Blog Challenge is organized by the American Headache and Migraine Association.

Hope Lies in Dreams

"Hope lies in dreams," Interpret the Quote: Tell us what the quote on the image below means to you.

"Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality." (Jonas Salk)

So, this quote immediately brings another quote to mind: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" (Eleanor Roosevelt).

I believe that allowing ourselves to dream and have hope for the future is important. Having lived with a disability now for over 6 years, I've come to find that my hopes and dreams for the future have changed... but, it's okay to change them!

I can envision a world in which Migraine has a cure. I know that it will take a lot of imagination and courage to reach a point of better understanding of the disease, and then to develop a cure. And, I will do my part in helping to realize that dream. I will continue to help educate myself and others about Migraine. I will continue to share my experiences with living / coping with Migraine. I will continue to contribute monetarily to Migraine research. I will pray for the Migraine community, as well as for the Migraine doctors and researchers out there. I will not give up on hope of a better future for Migraineurs.

The Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) Blog Challenge is organized by the American Headache and Migraine Association.

What in Nature Brings You Hope?

What in Nature Brings You Hope? Tell us what things in nature bring you hope and why.

This ties into one of my recent blog posts, Birds of Hope. As I shared in that post, "Everything in nature is a beautiful echo and reminder of the greatness of our Father."

There's something so wonderful about nature. There's something mesmerizing about the simplicity, complexity, and interconnectedness of everything.

It's so easy to get wrapped up in the chaos of life. But, nature provides relief from the chaos. A place to slow down. You can enjoy the present moment, reminisce about the past, dream about the future... anything is possible because nature surrounds you with infinite possibility.

It's difficult to narrow down what in nature brings me hope, as so many do. What first comes to mind, though, is the starry night sky. There is nothing that can take me out of myself better than just looking up into the night sky. My mind is overwhelmed by the infinite power of our Creator; while simultaneously, my heart is overcome with the truth that our Lord, the Maker of the universe, loves and cherishes me. What an awesome God!

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty,

but the sight of the stars makes me dream."

- Vincent van Gogh

The Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) Blog Challenge is organized by the American Headache and Migraine Association.

Hope Lets Us Win

Hope Lets Us Win: Watch and listen to the video below of Brian McKnight's song "Win," and share with us which of the lyrics you believe.

https://youtu.be/2JhluGhzRrE

I just listened to this song for the first time, and the chorus has some words that stick out to me:

"I'll never give up, never give in / Never let a ray of doubt slip in / And if I fall, I'll never fail / I'll just get up and try again / Never lose hope, never lose faith / There's much too much at stake."

While I'd like to say that they're entirely true, I can't. Doubt slips in. I struggle with losing hope and faith. But, it's okay, as long as I don't stay in that place... as long as I continue to get up and try again.

Win by Brian McKnight

Dark is the night
I can weather the storm
Never say die
I've been down this road before

I'll never quit
I'll never lay down
See, I've promised myself
That I'd never let me down, so

[Chorus]

I'll never give up, never give in
Never let a ray of doubt slip in
And if I fall, I'll never fail
I'll just get up and try again

Never lose hope, never lose faith
There's much too much at stake
Upon myself I must depend
I'm not looking for place to show, I'm gonna win

No stopping now
There's still a way to go
Ohh, someway, somehow
Whatever it takes I know

I'll never quit, no, no
I'll never go down
I'll make sure they remember my name
A hundred years from now

[Chorus]

When it's all said and done

My once in a lifetime, will be back again
Now is the time, to take a stand
Here is my chance, that's why I'll

[Chorus]

Mmm, I'm gonna win

The Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) Blog Challenge is organized by the American Headache and Migraine Association.

When You Believe

"When You Believe:" Watch and listen to the video of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston performing "When You Believe," then tell us how it can inspire hope.

https://youtu.be/LKaXY4IdZ40?list=RDLKaXY4IdZ40

During difficult times, it can feel like our prayers fall on deaf ears. We may feel alone or abandoned. We may even question our faith. We may feel like hope is gone.

But, as this song beautifully shares: "when you're blinded by your pain / Can't see the way, get through the rain / A small but still, resilient voice / Says hope is very near"... "though hope is frail, it's hard to kill." 

The Bible reminds us that: "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20).

In the same way that "faith as small as a mustard seed" can move mountains, I believe that even the smallest bit of hope can help light our darkest days. 

Keep praying. Keep the faith. Keep hoping. Keep believing and trusting in God... miracles can happen. 

When You Believe by Whitney Houston

Many nights we've prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts, a hopeful song
We barely understood

Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains long
Before we knew we could, oh yes

[Chorus]

There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

Oh yeah, in this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My heart so full I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'll say

[Chorus]

They don't always happen when you ask
And it's easy to give in to your fears
But when you're blinded by your pain
Can't see the way, get through the rain
A small but still, resilient voice
Says hope is very near, oh

[Chorus]

You will when you
You will when you believe
Just believe
I believe, I believe
Just believe
You will when you believe

The Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) Blog Challenge is organized by the American Headache and Migraine Association.

Birds of Hope

"Birds of Hope," Interpret the Quote: Tell us what the quote on the image below means to you.

You're welcome to use the image in your post as long as you don't make any changes to it.

This quote and image immediately brings a beautiful passage of scripture to mind:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Everything in nature is a beautiful echo and reminder of the greatness of our Father. God will provide even our most basic needs because we are His beloved children, made in His image.

What hope we have, when we trust and know that God will provide for our needs!

This doesn't mean, though, that we can just be passive. Plan ahead, work hard, pray fervently... You can have concern (doing what you can to help a situation) without worry (after doing what you can to help a situation, you refuse to leave the rest up to God).

Jesus doesn't want us to worry ("do not worry" appears three times in this passage); He wants us to be hopeful. Trust in God's faithfulness to sustain you, just as He has in the past. And, don't let the challenges of tomorrow weigh you down today - "worrying doesn’t rob tomorrow of its sorrow, it robs today of its strength." Don't worry, be hopeful.

If you'd like to read (there's also an option to listen, instead) more about Matthew 6:25-34: Lifestyles of the Content and Worry-Free.

The Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) Blog Challenge is organized by the American Headache and Migraine Association.