Traits of Hope

This series of messages focuses on personal behaviors and mindsets that help people become resilient.

    • The Fight Against Victimhood

      Dumi Senda was born in Zimbabwe. In 1999, he moved to the United Kingdom (UK) using a program established by the National Health Service (NHS) to bolster its workforce. He enrolled in college, but quit before getting a degree. His life began to spiral downward. He got...

      Read More
    • Burning Determination

      Glenn Cunningham was born in Kansas in 1909. When he was eight years old, his older brother mistakenly created a fire which left him severely burned. He lost most of the skin on his legs, the toes on his left foot, and his transverse arch was destroyed. His older...

      Read More
    • Hope and Resilience

      She experienced more personal hardship than any woman should ever have to face. In a seven-year span of time she lost her mother, got married and then divorced when her husband abused her, suffered a miscarriage, lost her job, lapsed into depression and even...

      Read More
    • Knowing No Limits

      Mildred Didrikson was born in 1911 to parents who came to America from Norway. Her mother called her Babe but after she hit five homeruns in a baseball game, others started calling her Bebe, after Babe Ruth. Babe was not a good student and never finished high school....

      Read More
    • Patience

      Sandy Koufax was one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball. In his first 30 games, he had a record of 4-6 and earned run average (ERA) of 4.11. He was wild and unreliable. Randy Johnson had 303 victories in his major league career of 22 years. He was...

      Read More
    • Enduring Faith

      Biddy Mason was born as a slave and separated from her family as a young child and sold to another plantation. As a teenager she learned herbal medicine and midwifery from other slaves. She also learned to have faith in herself. She was sold again. She had three...

      Read More
    • Using Shame to Fuel Hopes

      Debbi was the youngest of five children born in Oakland California. She was known as the cookie girl because she hoped to have her own cookie business someday. When she was 20, she married a Stanford graduate who had his own investment group. She would often be in...

      Read More
    • Hope and Determination

      Mike King was from a high school with only 30 seniors. He was 6’5” tall, weighed 205lbs, and played basketball. Although he was undersized for his position, he did get interest from major schools. He chose to play for West Virginia University which was close to his...

      Read More
    • Hope and Depression

      His life was one of continuing melancholy. He had lost loved ones sending him into depression. He had failed at several jobs. His one hope in life was to make a contribution, but he never seemed to find his calling. But his salvation was giving hope to others. He was...

      Read More
    • Trust and Hope

      Rodney was meeting with his advisor/mentor at the beginning of his senior year to discuss career plans. His mentor, Chloe, asked him a simple question: “What are your hopes for a career?” She expected Rod would struggle with his response, but he didn’t. “First I want...

      Read More