Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."      Yesterday was the first day of the season of Advent and Meridian Avenue observed it by lighting the Hope Candle on our Advent Wreath.  Advent is to be a period of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth and also for the second coming of Christ.      When people speak they usually express hope in superficial ways.  We often hear statements such as ‘I hope it will rain’ or ‘I hope the weather will be good’.       So often we fail to recognize the importance of hope in our lives.  Having hope reduces feelings of helplessness and it increases our happiness.  Hopelessness, on the other hand, leads to despair and depression.      To the believer in Christ, hope is the anchor...