Hope isn't just a spiritual concept—it's a psychological one too. And research is catching up to what people of faith have known for centuries: hope transforms us, inside and out.

I've been fascinated by the growing body of scientific research about hope. Not the vague 'wishful thinking' kind, but what researchers call 'active hope'—a cognitive process that involves goals, pathways to those goals, and the agency to pursue them.

This kind of hope literally changes our brains.

Hope isn't just something we feel—it's something we practice.

Like any meaningful quality, hope grows stronger through intentional cultivation. It's not about waiting for hopeful feelings to spontaneously appear; it's about creating conditions where hope can thrive.

After years of working with people navigating difficult seasons, I've observed certain practices that consistently nurture hope. None of these are revolutionary, but together they create an environment where hope flourishes even in harsh conditions.