At a time in my life when I desperately clung to any strand of hope, the number 153 appeared repeatedly in my life. It was nailed to the side of my future mother in laws new home, it appeared as part of the street address on the house to which I hoped to flee; it was undeniable that this number was a flickering light in the darkness, yet it would be some time before I understood. 153 was evidence of God’s miracle working power (John 21:11), and at times when all hope felt lost, He reminds me of His mercy.

Four years ago, before Silas was born, Jeremy and I traveled to Cozmel Mexico as part of our honeymoon cruise; on the top of my list was a shore excursion that allowed participants to help hatching sea turtles escape the perils of shore birds by hand delivering them to the waters edge. Each team dug up the turtle nests at a pre-determined time, and gently brushed them clean of sand, before releasing them to the water with a great hope that a full life was ahead of them. Each participant was welcomed to give “their” turtle a name, and without hesitation, Esperanza was the name I chose for the little girl, whose future I had so quickly come to care about! Esperanza, meaning Hope in Spanish, looked up at me as I placed her about 12″ from the oceans edge; she didn’t look scared, she didn’t look lost, she looked only full of hope and trust. The seagulls were swarming, the waves were crashing, and she marched with all the might a hatchling the size of a quarter can muster, into the abyss of the sea. I think of her often, every time I need a reminder of what courage, strength, trust and faith look like. She was 100% times smaller than her enemy, she was alone and defenseless, yet she pressed on to what lay ahead.