What to Expect?

We wanted to give you a small glimpse into what you will see here at Hupomone Ministries.  The following elements will be incorporated as the website develops.  Keep in mind as you follow along, we would love for you to grab your beloved copy of the Holy Scriptures, a fresh journal and your favorite writing tools! 

Here's what you can look forward to:

Weekly Psalm Blog - We will be looking into various Psalms for weekly devotional study, including reflection questions.  At macro look, we will consider approximately 72% of the Psalms altogether, though we would always encourage the reader to go through all 150 Psalms for personal study. 

Monthly Interview - We will be hearing various testimonies of faith from people who have been through or currently are in the midst of trials.  One of the many encouragements we gain through community is hearing how God works in people's life.  Maybe you don't believe God does work.  My prayer is that hearing interviews from different perspectives will enlighten our eyes in the ways that God does work.  God doesn't need a lawyer to defend Him; He uses his people and the stories He writes for them; none more prevalent than that of the story of sending us His Son, Jesus into the world (Immanuel).

Monthly Bible Study Blog - After gaining insight into Psalms and hearing testimonies of faith, we will be able to spend the rest of the month devoting ourselves to a detailed glimpse of some of our favorite topics and passages of refreshment to the soul (in no particular order):
The Attributes of God
God's Providence
The Book of the Psalms (see above)
The Book of Job
The Book of Proverbs
The Book of Ecclesiastes
The Book of Isaiah
The Book of Jeremiah
The Book of Lamentations
The Gospel According to John
The Epistle to the Hebrews
The Epistle of James
The First Epistle of Peter
The Second Epistle of Peter
Caregiving
Marriage and Relationships through the bumpy roads

We are thrilled you have chosen to join us and look forward to hearing from you!  

Why Hupomone?

When life's foundations seem to be deflecting and cause excessive deformations in our physical limits, we must seek a safe haven including encouragement and support load-bearing groups.  As it is true that we fall into various trials, our load response is of high importance. Let me ask you a question:  Where do you find safe haven fortresses during trials and testing?  May this website be a source of strength and encouragement for your soul. 

Hupomone (hoop-om-on-ay') comes from the Greek roots hypo' meaning under and meno meaning remain or endure.  James 1:2-4 is one of the first passages that comes to mind when we see this word, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  Our human nature may tell us to run the other direction when life brings trials, hardship or suffering, but this is not what Christ asks of us as His children.  We are to remain under that trial.  We are called to endure with steadfastness.  Why?  So that we may be complete in Christ.  So that we can become more like Him.  We aren't saying it's easy.  In fact it is hard and downright impossible at times.  This is why it is important to find our pillars that will help to remain under hardship and give us the support we need to continue. 

Our logo represents this concept of remaining under with support to do so well.  It was developed from the following bridge design concepts:

• Bridge Profile – This includes the majority of the logo seen: Bridge deck, and soil layer(s) including abutment fill and groundwater layer. The bridge deck is subject to large, extensive and complicating loading conditions causing instability (i.e. the hardships, trials, and sufferings we encounter). Thus, creating a very complex problem for foundation design. As engineers work closely on these issues trying to address all mechanisms of instability, risk management must play an important role. Practically, it is our heart and desire to drive away from the instability, but we must ask the tough questions and create a community of support so that we might be a type of foundation that will be supportive.  What do we need to change or add to our foundation sections to endure successfully? Also, always remember gang, soil has a memory – it remembers past stress loading conditions and we have human capabilities of also remembering past stress or trials.  Our soil in life changes dynamically and no model fits the perfect mold. Maybe a right support in the right direction is what you are seeking.  We hope and pray you can find some avenue of support here at Hupomone Ministries.
   
• Pile Group Efficiency – Typically, group piles are connected with a pile cap construction overlay.  These assumptions also seem reasonable that the load-bearing capacity of group piles reduce the load-bearing capacity of the individual piles, so that in an idealistic environment the piles in a group should be spaced so the load-bearing capacity of the group is not less than the sum of the individual pile. Practically, can we create a community of support that will increase the efficiency of the individual without reducing the capacity of that person?  Do you have enough support that will guide you through remaining under or bearing up through the trial?  A prime example of this is found in Exodus 17, when Israel defeats Amalek.  Moses tells Joshua to gather some men, go and fight Amalek, promising that he would stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand.  Verses 10-13 tell us what happened: 
  
  So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side.  So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. (ESV)

What a picture of others giving Moses the support he needed to do what he knew he needed to do!  They held his arms and did not stop until the enemy was defeated. 

Our goal is to create a community of support for you through proclaiming testimonies of faith of those that have/currently are remaining steadfast in a trial, providing encouragement through the Word, and considering how we respond to who God is amidst these trials.  We invite you to join the conversation by reading, commenting and interacting as well as reaching out to us if you have a story to share.